Fenerbahçe find solace in extended unbeaten run
While the Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş derby ended in a 0-0 draw on Saturday in Istanbul, Fenerbahçe has managed to extend their unbeaten run against the ‘Black Eagles' at home to 12 years
The much-anticipated Istanbul derby match between Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş ended in a 0-0 draw late Saturday. The derby, held on Fenerbahçe's home turf at THE Ülker Stadium Şükrü Saraçoğlu Sport Complex, lacked any tempo with the local rivals unable to record any shots on target the entire game.
Simon Kjaer and Alper Potuk from hosts Fenerbahçe and Ricardo Quaresma, Dusko Tosic and Necip Uysal from Beşiktaş were given yellow cards. With the derby ending in a draw, Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe have maintained the gap remaining in second and third places, respectively. If Beşiktaş had beaten Fener, the point gap between them would have risen to seven, while if Fenerbahçe had won, it would have been cut to just one. With this draw, Fenerbahçe have extended their unbeaten run against Beşiktaş at home to 12 years. The last time Beşiktaş tasted victory in Kadıköy was on April 17, 2005, with a legendary 4-3 win. Similarly, Fenerbahçe have not been beaten at home in Kadıköy by their archrivals Galatasaray since 1999.
The Yellow Canaries were on a superb run, with victories in each of their last five matches before the derby, but the draw marks the end of Fenerbahçe's five-game win streak.
Fenerbahçe coach Dick Advocaat spoke to the press after the match saying: "We watched a real derby. It was a match that has too much warrior soul. My team played very well. We had to win to close the gap. Beşiktaş did not have to. We spent so much energy trying to win. But you can't find a lot of positions against a powerful team like Beşiktaş."
Speaking to the media afterwards, Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş said: "The match was not enjoyable for both the fans and us. I am very sorry, but we have a very important Champs League match against Dinamo Kiev ahead of us. I care about that more. I hope that we will regenerate tomorrow (today) and head to Kiev.
Beşiktaş, competing in three different competitions this season, including the Champions League, the Turkish Super League and the Turkish Ziraat Cup, are yet to be defeated in all 19 matches this season. Fenerbahçe's unbeaten run extended to 10 matches, and the team has not lost in its last 10 derbies played on its home turf. Longtime Fenerbahçe goalkeeper Volkan Demirel is yet to experience defeat in a derby match played in Kadıköy. Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe fans reacted to the return of their former footballer Gökhan Gönül, who signed with Beşiktaş ahead of this season, throwing fake dollar bills on him and accusing him of money hungriness.
Despite their heated battle against the Yellow Canaries, Beşiktaş did not forget about the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real, who lost their lives after their plane crashed into the mountains in Colombia, while they were on their way to the finals of the Copa Sudamericana. Beşiktaş paid tribute to the team before the match with their specially-designed warm-up jerseys with the emblem of the Chapecoense on the back. Their T-shirts read, "In grief and agony ... We always stand together."
Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş also observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the crash before the derby. In another game earlier Saturday, league leaders Medipol Başakşehir managed to save their top spot despite losing two points at home in a 2-2 draw with Antalyaspor.
Simon Kjaer and Alper Potuk from hosts Fenerbahçe and Ricardo Quaresma, Dusko Tosic and Necip Uysal from Beşiktaş were given yellow cards. With the derby ending in a draw, Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe have maintained the gap remaining in second and third places, respectively. If Beşiktaş had beaten Fener, the point gap between them would have risen to seven, while if Fenerbahçe had won, it would have been cut to just one. With this draw, Fenerbahçe have extended their unbeaten run against Beşiktaş at home to 12 years. The last time Beşiktaş tasted victory in Kadıköy was on April 17, 2005, with a legendary 4-3 win. Similarly, Fenerbahçe have not been beaten at home in Kadıköy by their archrivals Galatasaray since 1999.
The Yellow Canaries were on a superb run, with victories in each of their last five matches before the derby, but the draw marks the end of Fenerbahçe's five-game win streak.
Fenerbahçe coach Dick Advocaat spoke to the press after the match saying: "We watched a real derby. It was a match that has too much warrior soul. My team played very well. We had to win to close the gap. Beşiktaş did not have to. We spent so much energy trying to win. But you can't find a lot of positions against a powerful team like Beşiktaş."
Speaking to the media afterwards, Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş said: "The match was not enjoyable for both the fans and us. I am very sorry, but we have a very important Champs League match against Dinamo Kiev ahead of us. I care about that more. I hope that we will regenerate tomorrow (today) and head to Kiev.
Beşiktaş, competing in three different competitions this season, including the Champions League, the Turkish Super League and the Turkish Ziraat Cup, are yet to be defeated in all 19 matches this season. Fenerbahçe's unbeaten run extended to 10 matches, and the team has not lost in its last 10 derbies played on its home turf. Longtime Fenerbahçe goalkeeper Volkan Demirel is yet to experience defeat in a derby match played in Kadıköy. Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe fans reacted to the return of their former footballer Gökhan Gönül, who signed with Beşiktaş ahead of this season, throwing fake dollar bills on him and accusing him of money hungriness.
Despite their heated battle against the Yellow Canaries, Beşiktaş did not forget about the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real, who lost their lives after their plane crashed into the mountains in Colombia, while they were on their way to the finals of the Copa Sudamericana. Beşiktaş paid tribute to the team before the match with their specially-designed warm-up jerseys with the emblem of the Chapecoense on the back. Their T-shirts read, "In grief and agony ... We always stand together."
Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş also observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the crash before the derby. In another game earlier Saturday, league leaders Medipol Başakşehir managed to save their top spot despite losing two points at home in a 2-2 draw with Antalyaspor.