Fenerbahçe wins 3-0 in Turkish cup match against Bursa |
 Fenerbahçe routed Bursaspor 3-0 on home turf in their Ziraat Turkish Cup group A game on Wednesday evening to guarantee qualification for the semifinals of the competition and reduce the remaining two matches in the group stage to mere formalities.
In the 40th minute, referee Kuddusi Müftüoğlu awarded Fenerbahçe a penalty after Bursaspor midfielder Hakan Aslantaş slapped the ball off the pitch following a corner kick by Fenerbahçe striker Semih Şentürk. Şentürk sent the ball into Bursa's net to put his team 1-0 ahead. He added another in the 61st minute with a random kick towards the Bursa post, which goalie Scott Carson did not manage to catch and he ended up falling inside the goal.
Şentürk was on the scene again in the 86th when he assisted in the third goal scored by 18-year-old midfielder Beykan Şimşek in his debut appearance with the senior team.
In the encounter between the two sides last week, Fenerbahçe defeated Bursaspor 3-2 away with two late goals. With Wednesday's win, the İstanbul side maintained its winning streak in the group stage and increased its points to 12. The team has won all its games in the Turkish Cup this season.
Fenerbahçe coach Aykut Kocaman was surprised to see Bursaspor give up so easily. “We defeated Bursaspor easier than we expected. I wish them success,” he said at a post-game press conference. Kocaman said his team will try to secure its lead of group A in the next game against Sivasspor, scheduled for next Wednesday.
Speaking about ongoing negotiations to acquire Montpellier's Moroccan playmaker Younes Belhanda, Kocaman said he would not be disappointed if the transfer talks come to nothing, but it would have positive repercussions for the team if the transfer happens. The coach did not wish to make a comment about Galatasaray's latest transfer sensation, Dutchman Wesley Sneijder.
For Bursaspor coach Ertuğrul Sağlam, the Fenerbahçe match is something he wants to forget quickly. While noting that his team did not allow Fenerbahçe to develop attacking positions in the first half, Sağlam said he did not think that the awarding of the penalty was the right decision. “We acted irresponsibly when it came to the second goal. After we began to take risks when Fenerbahçe went 2-0 up, the match got out of control. It became a match we don't want to remember,” Sağlam said, adding: “Fenerbahçe played well and very much wanted to win. They deserved to win. From now on it'll depend on the other teams' results whether we quality from the group.” The Bursa coach also complained about the busy schedule of the games they had to play.
Elsewhere, Sivasspor defeated 1461 Trabzon, the only second division side playing in the group stage of the Turkish Cup tournament, 2-1 in their group A match, gaining an advantage to become the second semifinalist from the group. Sivasspor increased its points to seven and is placed second after leader Fenerbahçe. Speaking after the game, Sivasspor coach Rıza Çalımbay said his team played against a very enthusiastic opponent but fortunately managed a win.
Group A standings
P W D L GF GA Pts
Fenerbahçe 4 4 0 0 10 2 12
Sivasspor 4 2 1 1 5 5 7
Bursaspor 4 1 0 3 5 8 3
1461 Trabzon 4 0 1 3 2 7 1
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