Lowly Gaziantepspor stun nine men Galatasary

Galatasary 2-4 Gaziantepspor

Süper Lig    26^th October 2011    KO: 6:30     Ground: Türk Telekom Arena

Galatasary: Muslera, Sarioglu, Zan (Cetin, 34), Ujfalusi, Balta, Inan, Melo, Kazim-Richards (Eboue, 15),  Baytar (Guleslam, 78), Riera, Elmander.

Gaziantepspor: Karcemarskas, Güngör, Kurtulus , Nounkeu, Saraiva, Adin, Has (Gulle, 50), Binya, Popov, Demir (Tosun, 73), Wagner (Sosa, 86).

Gaziantepspor stun nine men Galatasary at the Türk Telekom Arena.

Having spent big during the summer the expectation at the Telekom Arena would have been nothing other than league success. Coming in to the game Galatasary would have been odds on favourites for this one and they expectedly dominated for the first half hour, Selcuk Inan scoring early on after Nounkeu failed to carry out a routine clearance from former Sheffield United man Colin Kazim-Richards cross allowing him to find Inan at the second time of asking. 

Despite this dominance Gaziantepspor somehow managed to turn the game on its head before half time, the lively Muhammet Demir finishing cleverly before Popov's cracking half volley from the edge of the area gave them an unexpected lead. Servet Cetin was then sent off for pulling back Demir denying him a clear goal scoring opportunity after he beat the offside trap on the stroke of half time.

Although the ten men equalised through the impressive Johan Elmander after 65 minutes, a mistake from Muslera gave Orhan a simple tap in to put the visitors back ahead before Sarioglu was sent off for a second bookable offense bringing the ill disciplined Galatasary side down to 9 men as Tosun completed the misery a minute before time.

The victory will provide Gaziantepspor with an unexpected and timely boost after a slow start to the season whilst Galatasary will be left to rue what could have been after dominating for large parts of the first period whilst ill discipline undoubtedly cost them any chance of taking something from the game in the second half.

Substitutue Holt secures a point at Anfield

Liverpool 1-1 Norwich City

Premier League         22^nd October 2011           KO: 17:30          Ground: Anfield        Att: 44,931

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Carragher, Skrtel, Bellamy (Henderson, 69), Adam, Gerrard, Downing (Carroll, 80) Kuyt (Agger, 90), Suarez.

Norwich: Ruddy, Martin, Barnett, Tierney, Naughton, Johnson, Pilkington (Crofts, 90), Hoolahan, Fox, Bennett (Holt 57), Morison.

Substitute Grant Holt secures a point at Anfield for the Canneries as Liverpool drop points at home again.

Following the visit of the champions Manchester United last week Liverpool must have felt that this game provided the perfect opportunity to pick up three points in their quest for Champions League qualification. This sense of optimism was evident in the blistering start to the game by the home side who could’ve easily been three up inside the first ten minutes, first Skrtel headed Gerrard’s corner against the bar then the mercurial Suarez turned the Norwich defense only to fire wide before meeting Craig Bellamy’s cross forcing an excellent save from Ruddy who tipped it onto the post.

Norwich’s appeared stunned by the host’s fast start, offering far too much time on the ball whilst at the same time attempting to play the ball long up towards the isolated Steve Morrison. The game was twenty minutes old before Norwich finally began to press the ball higher up the pitch allowing them to win more possession and frustrate the home side by effectively utilizing the offside trap.

Just as the game looked to be heading towards a goalless first half Bellamy arrived in the box from the right to score against his former club, his shot taking a sizable deflection off the unfortunate Tierney to go past Ruddy into the bottom right hand corner. The goal coming after Norwich had looked relatively comfortable in defense despite Liverpool dictating much of the play.

The second half began in similar fashion to the first with Liverpool again dominating play as Norwich seemed to drop off with Luis Suarez again unlucky not to get on the score sheet after his shot was deflected off Martin on to the post. The failure to build a two goal cushion was punished after manager Paul Lambert’s inspired substitution saw Grant Holt come on and almost immediately leveled things up. The Norwich captain beating Reina to head in Pilkington’s cross after Enrique had allowed the former Huddersfield winger far too much time on the ball.

Holt could well have then given city the lead as he arrived unmarked at the back post but his header was straight at Pepe Reina who did well to get in the way. This scare seemed to rejuvenate Liverpool who at times during the second half looked short of ideas with Suarez the only man seemingly capable of threatening Ruddy’s goal. The introduction of Andy Carroll on for an off the pace Stuart Downing with ten minutes to play inevitably saw a more direct approach deployed and this nearly paid off when deep into stoppage time but the England forward somehow missed his header from six yards out.

The drama was not over though as with six minutes of stoppage time played Suarez connected with Gerrard’s cross only for Ruddy to pull off another super save somehow tipping the ball over the bar. The point for Norwich ensures their strong start to the campaign continues whilst Dalglish will be left to rue missed chances which come May could prove costly in the battle for fourth spot.

De Graafschap record second win of season

De Graafschap 3-1 NAC Breda

                                                                                

Eredivisie            21st October 2011            KO: 1900              Ground: De Vijverberg  Att: 11706

De Graafschap: De Winter; Evers, Wormgoor, Meijer, van de Pavert; Rose, Kujala, Breinburg (73, Overgoor), Sreckovic; De Leeuw (69, El Hassnaoui), Poepon. 

NAC: Ten Rouwelaar; Janse, Luijckx, Botteghin, Gorter; Gudelj, Gilissen (67, Lasnik), Schilder; Lurling, Schalk (62, Kolk), Bayram (62, Jozefzoon).

Two second half goals from De Graafschap were enough see them move out of the Eredivisie relegation play-offs. 

NAC started brightly, buoyed by the confidence of three wins in the last four games whilst Graafschap initially struggled to get hold of the ball. NAC however could not make their positive start pay, only managing to fashion themselves a couple of half chances, the best of which fell to Lerling as he cut in from the right only to see his shot across goal well saved by Winter. 

Breda were then made to pay for not exploiting their early dominance as De Graafschap struck against the run of play when Ten Rouwelaar could only parry a shot into the path of Rose who’s scuffed effort fell kindly for the 19 year old full back van de Pavert who calmly stroked the ball into the bottom left hand corner. Following the goal Graafschap were comfortable until a free kick on added time fell to Luijcx whose close range effort was expertly saved by the on form Winter. 

After the break NAC again enjoyed the majority of possession and this time capitalised, Schilder arriving from the left to provide a neat finish on 55 minutes after some slick build up play. Breda’s joy was to be short lived however as De Graafschap retook the lead within two minutes from a corner which the hapless Ten Rouwelaar got absolutely nowhere near allowing Finish international Jussie Kujala to poke in from close range. 

The result was then made safe fifteen minutes from time when Rose was allowed far too much time to pick out his cross which Rydell Poepon superbly headed across goal giving the keeper no chance allowing Graafschap to coast home for only their second win of the season. The result ensuring a continuation of NAC’s woeful away record as they slip a place to 14^th on goal difference.