Beşiktaş is still struggling to find its footing, and even with a new coach, they could only manage a draw against a modest team like Antalyaspor. The performance was poor and uninspiring, with few goal-scoring opportunities.
The new appointment for the Black Eagles‘ bench, former Manchester United player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, started off well in the Europa League with a 4-1 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao. However, the Norwegian coach – who has signed on for the remainder of the season and the next – has a tough task ahead if he hopes to save the Istanbul club of its ongoing crisis.
The match played during the 21st round of the Turkish league in Antalya was far from an exhibition of quality football. While there was tension and clashes on the pitch – especially in the early stages of the match – the referee was lenient, showing very few cards. Nevertheless, Al-Musrati and Rafa Silva will miss the next match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
The worst thing that can be said about Sunday’s clash in Antalya is that it was evenly matched… This is particularly troubling when considering that a team like Beşiktaş, crowned Süper Lig champion 16 times in its history, was up against Antalyaspor, a much more modest club despite their historic signing of Samuel Eto’o during the 2015-2016 season, after gaining promotion to the top league. Antalyaspor currently sits just six points above the relegation zone.
The only two goals came in the final minutes
The match’s only two goals arrived in the final 10 minutes. Rafa Silva scored after 79 minutes with a header from an Immobile assist; but just six minutes later, Swedish midfielder Erdal Rakip equalised for Antalyaspor with a beautiful goal that left goalkeeper Mert Günok astonished. Between these goals, Immobile scored again just two minutes after the first goal, but it was ruled out for offside.
After his debut in the Turkish Süper Lig, Solskjaer faces an uphill battle, and his face expressions during the match said it all. The result leaves Beşiktaş in 6th place with 32 points, a staggering 22 points behind league leader Galatasaray, who won Konyaspor with a narrow victory. Meanwhile, Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe, despite criticisms of the team’s playing style under the Portuguese coach, defeated comfortably İzmir’s Göztepe.
Results of the 21st round of the Super League
REEDER SAMSUNSPOR 2 – 1 GAZİANTEP FUTBOL KULÜBÜ A.Ş.
NET GLOBAL SİVASSPOR 5 – 2 BELLONA KAYSERİSPOR
CORENDON ALANYASPOR 5 – 4 RAMS BAŞAKŞEHİR FUTBOL KULÜBÜ
GALATASARAY A.Ş. 1 – 0 TÜMOSAN KONYASPOR
ÇAYKUR RİZESPOR A.Ş. 3 – 2 ADANA DEMİRSPOR A.Ş.
SİPAY BODRUM FK 0 – 1 İKAS EYÜPSPOR
ONVO ANTALYASPOR 1 – 1 BEŞİKTAŞ A.Ş.
FENERBAHÇE A.Ş. 3 – 2 GÖZTEPE A.Ş.
KASIMPAŞA A.Ş. – ATAKAŞ HATAYSPOR
Turkish league: standings
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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