Fenerbahçe, Trabzonspor share the spoils

ISTANBUL

AA photo

Fenerbahçe failed to clinch its first league win of the season as it was held to a 2-2 draw at home by Trabzonspor on Aug. 20.

Trabzonspor started the Spor Toto Super League second week match with a goal when striker Burak Yılmaz took advantage and scored after Juraj Kucka’s chip over Fenerbahçe’s defense in the fifth minute.

The home side responded in the 45th minute when midfielder Alper Potuk defeated goalkeeper Onur Kıvrak with a great low-driven shot in the left side of the penalty area.

Trabzonspor also started the second half strong. This time, winger Olcay Şahan managed to strike a powerful shot past Fenerbahçe goalie Volkan Demirel in the 56th minute.

Fenerbahçe pulled through one point at home after a penalty was rewarded in the 84th minute and Mathieu Valbuena made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Trabzonspor is still unbeaten after two matches as it accumulated four points, while Fenerbahçe is still winless with two draws.

Fenerbahçe coach Aykut Kocaman keeps his hopes high for the upcoming games.

“We have two points in the league, and had a weak result at Vardar,” Kocaman said after the game, recalling a Europa League qualification stage game his side lost 2-0 on Aug. 17 in Skopje, Macedonia.

“It has really been a disastrous week, I hope that it is over,” he added.

Kocaman complained about the tough game of Trabzonspor players.

“It is interesting that Trabzonspor completed a game with 11 players,” he said, criticizing the game’s referee for “being tolerant” to faulty play.

“It was similar last week,” Kocaman said.

“That does not come very natural to me. It is of course good to play tough, but that was too much.”

Trabzonspor coach Ersun Yanal said his side could have won after getting the lead twice, but considered a draw at Fenerbahçe away to be “an advantage.”

In the other matches on the weekend, defending champion Beşiktaş also failed to win, drawing with Kasımpaşa 2-2 in an away game on Aug. 18.

Galatasaray continued its perfect start to the season, defeating Osmanlıspor 3-1 in Ankara on Aug. 19. The Istanbul club, which has raised the title hopes of its supporters by scoring seven goals in two victories, sits atop the league standings.

Kasımpaşa is second in the standings, while Karabükspor, which beat last season’s runner-up Başakşehir 3-1 on Aug. 19, is fourth.

Antalyaspor, which signed French star Samir Nasri from Manchester City on Aug. 21, was held to a 2-2 draw at home to Akhisar Belediye on Aug. 20, while Kayserispor beat newcomer Göztepe 1-0.

Home team’s won in two games played on Aug. 19, with Bursaspor beating Alanyaspor 3-2 and Sivasspor winning 23-0 against Malatyaspor.

Gençlerbirliği was to visit Konyaspor late on Aug. 21 in the final match of week two.