Leader Galatasaray faces an uphill task away against third-placed Sivasspor this evening.


Exciting day in Turkcell Super League championship race An exciting Turkcell Super League title race is in store today with three teams involved in a neck and neck battle for the coveted championship. With only two games to go, only three points separate leader Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe as well as Sivasspor at the top of the 18-team standings.

In what has been dubbed the match of the week, the league-leading Galatasaray Lions with 73 points take on third-placed Sivasspor (70 points) away at the 4 Eylül Stadium in Sivas this evening.

The Fenerbahçe Yellow Canaries, the defending champions, also have 70 points but are second by virtue of a better goal difference over Sivas. This evening the Fener Canaries also face a toughie when they host struggling relegation-threatened Ankara side Gençlerbirliği.
And lest we forget distant fourth Beşiktaş, which still has a championship chance mathematically, takes on a relaxed mid-table Ankaragücü in the capital. But the Beşiktaş Black Eagles' championship hopes are as flimsy as gossamer because Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Sivasspor must all lose and lose and the Eagles must win and win again to be champion. In reality this is tantamount to mere wishful thinking.
Last weekend the Galatasaray Lions not only beat the visiting Canaries 1-0 in the "mother of all derbies," but also toppled them from the top. Galatasaray and anyone associated with the Lions were celebrating as if they had already won the championship. And we warned, "It ain't over till it's over." With two matches left and six points still to play for, anything could happen. First things first, this evening's matches are very crucial for the three frontrunners and none of them can afford to lose or even draw, because that would mean committing league suicide.
The Galatasaray Lions could clinch the championship this evening if they beat host Sivasspor and Fener loses or draws its home game with Gençler. If Fener wins and Galatasaray loses, then both Sivas and the Canaries would be equal on points with Galatasaray. However, because Fenerbahçe has a better head-on-head record, it would take over the lead going into the last week of the season. But if Fener wins as Galatasaray draws then the Lions would still be on top, leading by one point in the final week. It is a complicated situation indeed.
Therefore these games will be tactical battles, to say the least. All the teams want to win, but not by a bagful of goals. Sivasspor coach Bülent Uygun has said he will make changes to the line-up that lost to both Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş at 4 Eylül. This means there will also be a change to the game plan, with maybe only Mehmet Yıldız upfront and a crowded midfield to thwart the Galatasaray attacks. If Sivas is successful again today, it will be on the verge of winning the league championship for the first time in its history.
Leader Galatasaray will be missing the services of prolific striker Umit Karan, who is serving an automatic one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards. With veteran Hakan Şükür and playmaker Cassio Lincoln also on the injury list, Shabani Christophe Nonda could be the only fit forward today. Stand-in coach Cevat Güler said the Sivas clash is going to be tough, but added: "Having come this far no one should expect us to relinquish the crown." Of course Güler has to motivate his team, but in soccer nothing is certain. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. and the referee will be Halis Özkahya.
Fener, still smarting from last weekend's defeat, should not expect an easy encounter against Gençler. This is because if the Ankara side loses against Fener today and against Sivas next weekend it could be relegated if Vestel Manisaspor wins both of its matches. Fener coach Arthur Zico reportedly said this week there would be some changes to the lethargic side that was outplayed and outclassed by Galatasaray. Chilean midfielder Claudio Maldonado, lambasted for his dull and dreary play, is sure to be rested and Selçuk Şahin brought into the starting XI. Likewise Serb striker Mateja Kezman could be warming the substitutes' bench and super-sub Semih Şentürk given a chance as starter. "We are going to fight to the very end," Zico said. And that is exactly what the Canary fans want their team to do today. The match, which starts at 4 p.m., will be refereed by Mustafa Kemal Abitoğlu. In the other match of great interest today "almost" relegated Vestel Manisaspor welcomes relegated Kasımpaşa in a match the host must win to keep its slim hopes alive. To avoid the drop, Vestel not only has to win its two remaining matches but Gençler also has to lose both. That indeed is a tall order. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. and the referee will be Bünyamin Gezer. Elsewhere today it Konyaspor-Gaziantepspor (referee Selçuk Dereli) and Bursaspor-Kayserispor (Hakan Özkan).

şans işte ............

Galatasaray is the best football team in turaaa,isn't it?