Fener closes gap with leader

ISTANBUL

Fenerbahçe’s Senegalese striker Mouusa Sow (R) and defender Hasan Ali Kaldırım celebrate after Sow scored a goal against Orduspor. Fenerbahçe won the game at hoem 2-1 on Nov 11 to cut the points gap with Galatasaray to three. AA photo

Fenerbahçe has won 2-1 at home against Orduspor to cut the gap with Galatasaray, which has been held to a 1-1 draw at Mersin İdman yurdu.

Senegalese striker Moussa Sow put Fenerbahçe ahead in the 11th minute at Şükrü Saraçoğlu on Nov. 11. Despite dominating the game and finding the posts three times, the home side had to wait until the 85th minute for the second goal, when substitute Sezer Öztürk scored with a firm shot nine minutes after he replaced Raul Meireles. Şamil Cinaz scored for the visitors in the dying minutes.
Fenerbahçe coach Aykut Kocaman, who has been under fire since the forced departure of Brazilian midfielder Alex de Souza last month, was happy with the result.

Focusing on the game

“We owned the momentum of the game with an early goal,” Kocaman told reporters after the game.

“We did not lose our rhythm in the second half, but the goal we conceded was a slap reminding us not to ever lose our focus.”

Kocaman said they did not think of Galatasaray’s points loss before going on the pitch. “What has changed since the beginning of the season is we are more focused on our own team, we are more focused on our own games,” he said.

When asked if Fenerbahçe would part ways with forwards Milos Krasic and Semih Şentürk in the winter transfer window, Kocaman declined to comment, but warned his players.

“I’m not saying this only for him [Krasic], I expect all my players to increase their performances in training sessions,” he said.

In Mersin, league leader Galatasaray suffered an unexpected blow to its bid to defend its title. Umut Bulut put the visiting side ahead in the 18th minute, however, former Beşiktaş striker Mert Nobre leveled the score in the 63rd and the home side managed to get away with a draw.

Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim was surprised with the draw. “We conceded a goal without giving them any scoring chances,” Terim said in a post game press conference. “We had the chances, in both halves, we had the goal, but we conceded a goal that cost us two points.”

Terim said this was not the first time Galatasaray dropped points despite playing well. “I do not know how many times [goalkeeper Fernando] Muslera met with the ball today, we should not concede such goals and drop points.”

The experienced coach declined to comment on the performance of the referee, who was considered by some pundits the reason as the reason behind the draw.