Week 5 - Analysis by Serbülent Şengün
 "Hands Off" - from Galatasaray - Kocaelispor game
This week started of with the previously postponed game between Gaziantepspor and Fenerbahçe on Wednesday.
On Friday the regular fixtures started taking place. This week was the week of the draws, in which 6 of the 10 games (including the postponed game) played ended with a draw. The remaining 4 games were won by the home sides, no visitor teams managed to grab all three points this week. A total of 23 goals was scored on the 9 regular fixture games, the lowest in a week so far. The home sides scored 15 of those and the visitors managed a clumsy 8. The football this week was not that good in quality compared to those of the previous weeks.
Games :
Gaziantepspor – Fenerbahçe : It might look like it was a game full of action considering it ended 3-3, and considering the visitors scored their last two goals to tie the game after they were one man down, but it wasn’t so at all. The home side took an early lead with two goals in the first 21 minutes. Fenerbahçe scored a classic set pieces goal towards the end of first half. A pretty boring game was underway when the national defender Fatih was sent off at the 75th minute. The home side scored another goal at 9 minutes to the final whistle. Fenerbahçe came back in the last 5 minutes scoring two goals to grab a single point. Despite the 6 goals, the game was pretty poor in quality. (3-3)
Galatasaray - Kocaelispor : Galatasaray had an easy game against Kocaelispor who still have no points on their account. Two nicely done first half goals from Arif and Felipe sealed the night easily for the defending champions. Galatasaray missed some more chances in the second half, Kocaelispor could barely hang in. The only ugly sight of the night was when Galatasaray goalkeeper Mondragon faked a facial injury as if Kocaelispor player Uğur kicked him in the face. The “Rivaldoesque” move lessened the sympathy to the Colombian goalkeeper. (2-0)
Malatyaspor – Fenerbahçe : Who didn’t see this coming? Malatyaspor was playing better every week, and I usually describe them as one the truest fighters of the league, whereas Fenerbahçe despite their all star squad was playing worse and worse each week. The result? Malatyaspor had an easy victory with a goal on each half, and a dozen of chances missed. Fenerbahçe barely had a chance. The big spenders of Kadıköy slided into more turmoil, and are heavily demoralized before the UEFA cup game against AIK Solna of Sweden. (2-0)
Denizlispor – Elazığspor : Denizlispor are a very hard team on homeground, and this Saturday was no different. The home side took the lead after 25 minutes, they then doubled the score early in the second half. Elazığspor hit back to raise their hopes at the remaining 17 minutes, but all was gone when Denizlispor sealed the game at the final minute of the game. Interesting note, third consecutive week in which Elazığspor lost 3-1. (3-1)
Ankaragücü - Adanaspor: First of the 5 draws of the week. The capital city team getting ready for the UEFA cup competition on Thursday did not play a wholesome game. The visitors managed to take the lead at the final stages of the first half through a good counter-attack, one of many they scored in the first five weeks. Ankaragücü equalized through a penalty goal. In the rest of the game both sides had their chances, neither managing a victory. (1-1)
Trabzonspor – Gençlerbirliği : The leaders of the league Gençlerbirliği, lost their first points after four consecutive wins. Much of this may be attributed to Trabzonspor’s Australian goalkeeper Petkovic. The game was more dominated by Gençlerbirliği; however it was the Black Sea contenders that managed to score first. Fatih scored his second in two weeks after being transferred back to Trabzonspor. Gençlerbirliği equalized through their defender Deniz early in the second half. The rest of the game the visitors controlled looked more likely to win, however the game ended in a draw. (1-1)
İstanbulspor - Bursaspor: Another draw in which the home side wanted to win their first game on home ground whereas the visitors wanted their first away victory. Both teams couldn’t succeed. The visitors striker Okan scored his 5th of the season to grab the visitors the lead. İstanbulspor fought back and equalized through a penalty toward the end of the first half. The second half the game could have gone either way, and a draw was the just result after all. (1-1)
Gaziantepspor – Altay: A dramatic week for Gaziantep indeed. After missing the chance of a victory against Fenerbahçe in the last minute on Wednesday this time they got the victory on the last minute of the game. The visitors scored the opener on the 14th minute, ten minutes later Gaziantepspor equalized. In the rest of the game Gaziantepspor pushed forward whereas Altay looked pretty effective on the counter attack. Neither side could score till the 90th minute when the substitute Volkan ended the game on a high note for the home side. The way the Altay players got devastated after the game, as if it was a world cup final was a good sign how well this young team of İzmir was motivated, and how much of a fighter character they have. Got to keep an eye on them. (2-1)
Göztepe – Beşiktaş: Best game of the week. The visitors took an early lead in the 10th minute, but the underdogs who has changed two coaches in the first five weeks did not give up easily and scored the long fought equalizer at the 24th minute. Beşiktaş took the lead again at the end of the first half. The second half was a different game where Göztepe fought with great will and Beşiktaş seemed to lack the concentration necessary. The equalizer came at the 72nd minute after a serious of clumsy defending from Beşiktaş players. In the last part of the game neither team could score. (2-2)
Diyarbakırspor - Samsunspor: Diyarbakırspor who was known for their good football on home ground last year has still yet to win a game after playing three of the five games in Diyarbakır. The first minute was barely finished when the home side scored through a penalty. However they could not keep the good work. Samsunspor equalized early in the second half. Diyarbakırspor could not manage to create the necessary chances to score and the game ended in a draw. After the game the president of the club blamed the coach for the bad results and as of Monday morning coach Hüseyin Kalpar of Diyarbakırspor is added to the coaching casualties of the league. (1-1)
Goals of the week :
1. Duro (Malatyaspor) : This week out of the 23 goals scored Duro’s was the most spectacular. A 30 metre right foot strike that went curling to the left hand corner of the goal. It looked so perfect I had my doubts whether it was intentional or there was a bit of luck involved. Well, it does not matter at all, it was a beauty.
2. Felipe (Galatasaray) : The Brazilian midfielder controlled the ball on the right hand side of the field, drove parallel to the goal and launched a beautiful left foot stroke to the left of the goalie. There was absolutely nothing the goalkeeper could do.
(Honestly there were decent goals this week, but nothing that extra.... and I did not want to put up a goal just to fill the blanks for the third place, I hope to have weeks in which I will have to write 10 goals instead of three)
Team of the week :  Galatasaray
The defending champions did everything meaningful on the field. Created many chances, dominated the field totally and did not give the visitors a slightest chance to score. On a week that was rather poor in football quality Galatasaray looked like the exception.
Player of the week : Felipe (Galatasaray)
The Brazilian is playing a very aesthetic football with passes of the highest accuracy and shots that seem like they came out of nowhere. With the ball he is the man to watch, and it seems like he has formed a brilliant duo with veteran striker Arif. His deep perpendicular passes are just the medicine Arif needs for his quick sprints to the penalty zone.
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2002-2003 1.Süper Lig