Fenerbahçe celebrate as rivals fade
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Article summary
Fenerbahçe SK were presented with their 17th championship trophy after rounding off their season with a 3-1 win which gave them a nine-point gap at the title's end.
Article body
Fenerbahçe SK were presented with their 17th championship trophy after rounding off their season with a 3-1 home win against MKE Ankaragücü.
Farewell strike
Zico's side ended the season nine points clear of Turkish Cup winners Beşiktaş JK after two goals from Mateja Kežman and a farewell strike from captain Ümit Özat - who is joining 1. FC Köln - gave them a final day victory. Ümit received the trophy from Federation chairman Haluk Ulusoy while Brazilian midfielder Alex finished the season as top marksman with 19 goals. Ümit said: "It is an honour to lift the trophy in the centenary year," while coach Zico added: "Our only goal was to win the championship. Our squad was stronger than the others and we succeeded through hard work. Everybody respected and trusted each other and that's how we made this happen."
European desire
Fenerbahçe must now set about improving on last season's showing in European competition. The Istanbul club were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the third qualifying round stage, where they will begin next season, before a Round of 32 defeat on away goals against AZ Alkmaar put paid to their UEFA Cup hopes. Beşiktaş will go into the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League and city rivals Galatasaray SK, who finished 14 points adrift of the champions, will participate in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.
Bursaspor history
Galatasaray were defeated 2-0 at Bursaspor on the final day in their last match under Erik Gerets, a result which enabled the Bursa side to become only the third team to defeat all four giants of Turkish football - Galatasaray, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Trabzonspor - in a season since its foundation in 1959. Beşiktaş, whose coach Jean Tigana left the club a fortnight ago, lost 3-0 against fifth-placed Kayserispor prompting their coach, ex-Beşiktaş player Ertuğrul Sağlam, to announce that he could quit his current post if a bigger club came calling.
Relegation drama
The final day also saw relegation issues decided with Antalyaspor and Kayseri Erciyesspor, who will compete in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup next season after reaching the Turkish Cup final, joining Sakaryaspor in the second division next year. Yılmaz Vural's Antalyaspor were defeated 3-1 by Gençlerbirligi SK while Erciyesspor lost 2-1 at Sivasspor. Those results meant Rizespor were able to escape the drop with a 1-1 draw at Sakaryaspor. Gençlerbirligi Oftasspor and Istanbul Büyüksehir Belediyespor will replace them along with the second division play-off winners.
