Soccer News of Monday, 17 December 2001

Source: .

Explosive Ahinful downs Denizli

Improving Ankaragucu won a rollercoaster of a game in Denizli 4-3. Muzaffer Bilazer opened the scoring on 16 minutes for Denizlispor but then the Roosters were hit by the Augustine Ahinful blitz.

The Ghanaian scored a first-half hat-trick and Hakan Keles added another to put Ankaragucu 4-1 in front by the interval.

Ali Tandogan and Veysel Cihan pulled goals back in the second half and there was a frantic last 17 minutes after Veysel's went in, but the Roosters could not find the equaliser.

Ahinful too much for Galatasaray

Monday 10th December 2001 --- Augustine Ahinful scored Ankaragucu's winner as Galatasaray missed the chance to go seven points clear at the top of the Turkish Super League with defeat on Sunday. Yozgatspor, Rizespor and Diyarbakirspor all eased relegation worries with wins.

The defeat in the capital was only the second of the league season for Galatasaray but it was well deserved by Ankaragucu.

Captain Ohene Kennedy set the hosts on their way with a goal after just nine minutes.
Galatasaray hopes of a comeback were strengthened midway through the second half when Hakan Keles was sent off but it was ten-man Ankaragucu who found the second goal through the prolific Augustine Ahinful ten minutes from time.
Serkan Aykut's consolation for Galatasaray came in injury time. By then they were down to ten men themselves after Emre Asik picked up his second yellow card.
"We were in complete control of the game until we lost Hakan," claimed jubilant Ankaragucu manager Ersun Yanal. "We didn't let Galatasaray play. We played particularly well in defence and as a team."
There was a firm no comment from Yanal's opposite number Mircea Lucescu but his rueful chairman Mehmet Cansun remarked: "We had a lot injuries and absentees. Ankaragucu concentrated better and won."