Final match: Gaziantepspor 4-1 Diyarbakir (11.Sedat, 64,78,90.Hasan Ozer) (89.Serdar -PK-)
Omer; Johnson, Bekir, Bouazizi; Ilhan, Mehmet Kara (46.Erhan Namli), Sedat, Devran (67.Hasan Yurt), Bulent (73.Kerem); Erdal, Hasan Ozer.
(subs: Kaya, Sevki, Mehmet Polat, Onur)

With the victory, G'antepspor finished the season at 4th. Losses to top teams cost us Europe.

(Omer, Devran, Bouazizi weren't on vacation, yet.)

Ömer and Ibrahim are in the Turkey A squad, as having been reported.

Sevki and Bekir (first full match and suddenly a hot commodity) are in the U-21 team. But there's no one called up for A2. Everyone gets a long off-season...

List of players already completed the (regular) season: Ömer, Devran, Ibrahim, Lazarov, Mehmet Polat, Bouazizi, and Jaziri.

BSB's Baris Durmaz (23), Gazi (25), and Hakan Korkmaz (19) have signed for Gaziantepspor for the next season. Bekir Integün landed a 5-year contract.

Lazarov and Devran are (already) on leave as well.

The season's final match will be played Saturday at 17:00.
4.Denizli 55pts., 5.Antep 54, 6.GS 51 -- Team can still finish at 4th by beating Diyarbakir (or 6th by losing).

Most players go on leave after this weekend. Names of players joining Ersun Yanal's Far East tour, other than Omer and Ibrahim Toraman, are not known yet.

Elazig 1-2 Gaziantep (15.Yunus) (36.Johnson, 53.Hasan Özer)
Team: Kaya; Mehmet Polat, Bekir, Johnson; Ilhan (69.Bouazizi), Sedat, Erdal, Sevki (38.Mehemt Kara), Bulent; Hasan Özer, Lazarov (77.Erhan).
(Y: Sevki, Mehmet Polat, Bekir) (subs: Murat, Onur, Hasan Yurt, Kerem)

Ömer and Ibrahim, as well as Devran, didn't travel.

Trip to Elazig today. Ilhan and Bouazizi can start.

FB signed Serkan Balci for $3M (+ a young reserve). It's nice to see the town of Gaziantep through the eyes of Ibrahim Toraman, who will soon be an ex. Well done. It's a pleasure to watch.


Lale Orta has been named as the Elazig match official. (It's the first time for the club to have a female ref.)

Practice match: G'antepspor 5-0 BSB.
Ilhan and Bouazizi didn't play because of injury.

Elazig match, as well as other "meaningless" games, will be played on Saturday evening. It will finish before dawn, no prob.

G'antep 1-2 Trabzon (88.Bouazizi) (17.Gokdeniz, 70.Maxim)
Omer; Johnson, Ibrahim, Bouazizi; Ilhan, Sevki (72.Bekir), Devran (81.Hasan Yurt), Sedat (81.Erhan N.), Bulent; Hasan Ozer, Lazarov.
(Y: Bulent, H.Ozer, Devran, Johnson) (subs: Kaya, Erdal, Onur, Mehmet Kara)
Trabzon keeps championship hopes; G'antep left with nothing. Just 6,000 spectators, including about 500 from Trabzon.

Devran to be suspended next.

Turkish Airlines' 16:55 flight from Istanbul (TK688, Boeing 737) skidded from the runway and crashed to the ground at the Oguzeli airport. No one was harmed. On board were Saglam, Omer, I.Toraman, and Lazarov. They went through the on-board panic and were held up into the night.

Team will train together (first time this week) tomorrow. Trabzon will be coming - with wives and supporters - Friday.

Friendly: Belgium 2-3 Turkey
Omer was a third keeper for the match (no playing time). Ibrahim played in the second half - missed his mark for Belgium's 2-2 goal.

Asked about the transfer after the match, Ibrahim said there remain three weeks and he'll evaluate offers after that. No immediate plan to be in Istanbul (for signing) soon (with smiles).

News are mostly for Trabzon's injury (and suspension) worries. Losing points, their championship bid is over. Gaziantep can still hope to climb to the 4th place, though UEFA chances are virtually gone.

Actually, Ibrahim was told to report back (after the Milli game) later Monday. :)

Somehow these pictures are getting more hits than those featuring more established names at TNN.net. (Needless to say, the pic quality doesn't cut the grade.)

U-21 friendly: Belgium 2-0 Turkey
Bekir's unimaginable backpass at 27:11/31:24:
mms://wm.streampower.be/vtm/hetnieuws/hetnieuws_13h_5.wmv

Mr.Saglam confirms Ibrahim and Mehmet Polat (suspended) won't make the squad against Trabzon.

Fenerbahce retained leadership by beating Besiktas - thus Antepspor won't have to face leaders next week.
The Baskan was at the game, even in the second half. Things didn't work as he had figured this year - like BJK firmly stuck in the 3rd place.

(seen w/ Turgay Ciner)

Istanbulspor 0-1 Gaziantepspor (53.Hasan Ozer)
Team: Omer; Mehmet Polat, Bouazizi, Sedat; Ilhan, Devran, Sevki (46.Erhan Namli), Johnson, Bulent; Hasan Ozer, Lazarov (75.Erdal)
(Y: Lazarov, Mehmet Polat)

Hasan Ozer (reportedly told to find a club next season) scored a match decider and cleared a match-tying goal off the line. Antepspor, having beaten by Istanbul in Cup, placed the opposition dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Bouazizi IS with the team, playing for 90 minutes. But Mehmet Polat will be suspended next. Will Bekir stand in (or someone else?)
(OTOH, Trabzon will be without Tolga (suspended) and Fatih (injured).)

Ersun Yanal is yet to sign officially and there aren't many changes for the next national team game. Omer and I.Toraman are the only ones selected this time.

Bouazizi too is done for the season. Returned to Tunisia to cure injuries. (He will be back next season, no worry ... I guess.)
Team is flying to Istanbul today.

Bekir and Sevki are in the U-21 team again. Will be in Belgium next week.

Of players said to be leaving at the end of the season, Yusuf, Hakan Bayraktar, and Nuri were told to start finding a club. They apparently left the town, no longer to join team practices.

Other departures will be finalized next month. Mr.Atmaz says Bouazizi, Lazarov, Jaziri, and Bulent will stay.

G'antepspor 1-3 Malatyaspor (51.Sedat)(7.Ilyas, 43.Fazli, 86.Mert)
Team: Kaya; Ibrahim, Mehmet Polat, Bulent; Ilhan, Sedat, Yusuf, Erdal (46.Johnson), Sevki (80.Mehmet Kara); Jaziri, Onur (46.Hasan Ozer)
(Y: Yusuf) (subs: Omer, Bekir, Hasan Yurt, Kerem)

Though Denizlispor was (surprizingly) beaten this week, Antepspor couldn't narrow the difference and that was it. "We lost the goal (of qualifying for the UEFA Cup) and fielded young players this week. But we couldn't coordinate positions well and allowed easy paths to the goal."

It's been all strange. On Tuesday, Mr.Saglam repeated the line that other than Ibrahim Toraman, no one would be sold. Next day, a Gaziantep paper director was saying Toraman would be sold to a highest bidder - among the Big 3 - as publicly confirmed by the club president.

Don't they see Toraman effectively lost it all in the BJK match? Every game he plays this season - with the unbalanced 3-back defense - he's losing his edge. The club showcased him (through the election) without any attempt of enforcing the fragile back line. No talent will survive this.

Stop talking as if he's still much in demand. He's not. There's no point in keeping him exposed on the market.

Did practice match with BSB. Bouazizi and Devran are going to miss the Malatya game as well.

Ersen Yanal agreed on terms to become Turkey's new national team coach.

Denizli 2-0 Gaziantep (45.Ali Akdeniz, 55.Ersen Martin)
Team: Omer; Mehmet, Ibrahim, Sedat; Ilhan, Sevki (69.Hasan Ozer), Yusuf, Erhan Namli (59.Erdal), Bulent; Lazarov (82.Johnson), Jaziri.
(Y: Ilhan, Erdal, Lazarov) (subs: Kaya, Hasan Y., Bekir, Onur)

By failing to beat Denizli, team effectively lost the chance of finishing in Top 4. Lazarov will be suspended next week.

U-21 friendly: Italy 1-0 Turkey
(Treated as U-20 -class of '83- for Italy.) Both Bekir and Sevki played from the start (Sevki through m.75).

G'antep 2-1 Ankaragucu (23.Lazarov, 62.Bulent)(25.Umut)
Team: Omer; Mehmet Polat, Ibrahim, Sedat; Ilhan, Erdal (74.Buazizi), Hakan Bayraktar (46.Yusuf), Sevki, Bulent; Lazarov, Jaziri (83.Erhan Namli)
(Y: Sedat, Bulent) (subs: Kaya, Bekir, Onur, Hasan Yurt)

Return calls for Sevki and Bekir for a U-21 friendly in Italy next week.

Cemal Cenk, who suffered brain hemorrhage on March 4 and remained under intensive care, lost his life today.

Friendly: Croatia 2-2 Turkey
First 45 minutes (& assist to Skoto's goal) for Ibrahim. Bulent won his first A cap as second-half substitute.

U-21 Friendly: Croatia 0-0 Turkey
Bekir and Sevki played in the second half.

Team is without 8 players on national team duty (Bouazizi, Jaziri, and Lazarov, in addition to 5 Turkish A & U-21 players). Ilhan and Hasan Ozer are unlikely to play this weekend. Young players may receive more playing time - e.g. Kerem, Bekir, Onur.

And the next day, the Baskan lost the 15-year reign.

Besiktas 4-1 G'antep (7.A.Hassan, 14.Pancu, 29.Tumer, 89.Ilie) (11.Devran)
Team: Omer; Mehmet Polat, Ibrahim, Bouazizi; Bulent, Devran, Johnson (60.Hasan Ozer), Sevki, Sedat, Yusuf (84.Erhan Namli), Lazarov (74.Erdal).
(Y: -) (subs: Kaya, Nuri, Bekir, Hasan Y.)

For the first time in its league history, Team won zero points against Istanbul's Big 3 in a season. (And currently 0/7 against Big 4.)

The list of the Turkish national team to meet Croatia on Mar.31 includes Ömer Çatkiç, Ibrahim Toraman, and Bülent Bölükbasi. No surprise, though. He's currently the best on the left in the league.

Bekir and Sevki have been called up for U-21 friendly vs.Croatia (Mar.31). They will join the Istanbul camp right after (if not before) the Inonu game and fly with the A squad Tuesday.

Looks like Ilhan stretched his right knee lateral ligament. It could take weeks to cure, though MRI exams will clarify the extent of the injury.

Antepspor 1-0 Samsunspor (8.Jaziri)
Omer; Ibrahim, Mehmet Polat, Devran; Ilhan (28.Sedat), Devran, Johnson, Lazarov, Bulent; Hasan Ozer (80.Hasan Yurt), Jaziri (46.Sevki)
(Y: Lazarov, Jaziri, Sevki) (subs:Kaya, Bekir, Erdal, Onur)

Hakan Bayraktar suffered injury just before the match and Erhan Namli needed to leave as his mother passed away. Team went ahead quickly through Jaziri, but, already without Yusuf, suffered thereafter with Ilhan leaving the pitch early and Jaziri withdrawn at half-time (knock on the knee).
Jaziri will be suspended for next week (vs.Besiktas). Ilhan looked fine, but the diagnosis isn't out yet - so uncertain for next Saturday.

Mehmet Polat and Bulent look to be fit for tomorrow.

Kemal Aslan broke his right tibia in last night's game. His leg must be placed in the plaster for 4 weeks and it will be 3-4 months before he starts ball training. Wish him a better luck next season.

As a result of the Turkish Cup semifinals, Trabzon and G'birligi advanced to the final. If Trabzon keeps the 3rd position in the league, G'birligi will automatically qualify for UEFA Cup.
The only way for Antep to go to Europe next season is to finish top 3.

Lazarov has been called up for Bulgaria's friendly (vs.Russia, Mar.31).

Caykur Rize 1-2 Gaziantep (34.Serkan -PK-) (6.Lazarov, 80.Yusuf -PK-)

Omer; Mehmet Polat, Bouazizi, Johnson; Ilhan, Devran (88.Erdal), Hakan, Yusuf, Erhan (80.Sedat); Lazarov (90.Bekir), Jaziri.
(R: 90.Yusuf, Y: Mehmet Polat) (subs: Kaya, Sevki, Onur, Hasan Yurt)

On 63rd, Lazarov had his penalty blocked, but Selcuk Dereli awarded another spot kick and Yusuf converted it this time. Yusuf, though received his second yellow on 92nd and had to miss Samsun match.
Team is now 5th, one point over G'saray and 3 points off 4th-placed Denizli, with 9 matches to go.

Team moves to Rize (via Istanbul and Trabzon) tonight. Mehmet Polat and Bulent are injured - but they will travel. Ibrahim will be the only absence.

Antepspor 2-2 Akcaabat Sebat
(13.Ibrahim, 37.Lazarov) (47.Orhan, 54.Selahattin)
Omer; Ibrahim, Mehmet (46.Devran), Hakan; Sedat (71.H.Ozer), Johnson, Yusuf, Bouazizi, Bulent; Lazarov, Jaziri (82.Erdal).
(R: 74.Ibrahim) (No spectators because of incidents at Gaz-FB)
The team led 2-0 at half-time, but didn't have legs in the second half. My anger is solely on the TFF:

Why did the team have to play against Roma (in Rome) with only 2-day's rest? Why did it have to play another match when having to meet Roma on 2 legs in 6 days? Why in Turkey doesn't anyone care about small team's interest? (Teams other than GS, FB, & TS)
Why can't they protect players who've achieved a lot, but are suffering for the very reason?

We'd like to support the players - but feel as if there's an enemy within all the time.

Congratulations Ibrahim for his first headed goal this season. The one least deserved the early exit.

Match pictures from: AS Roma Gallery

Antepspor returned home in early hours.
Unfortunately, before the day's training, team masseur Cemal Cenk (44) suffered brain hemorrhage and was taken to the hospital. He remains in critical conditions.

Gaziantep's Sevki, Kerem, and Mehmet Kara have been called for the U-21 training camp next week (in Istanbul). (It's an extended training session for those outside of the regular U-21 selection. No caps will be awarded.)

UEFA Cup 3rd-rd 2nd-leg:
AS Roma 2-0 Gaziantepspor (Emerson, Cassano) (2-1 on agg.)

In the end, about 15,000 people came to the stadium (200 of which Turkish). The team needed only one goal, but luck (and the ref.) never smiled on us. And Totti didn't even bother to warm up.

So the team goes home. Someday, some of the players will go further close to the top...

ShowTV decided to air the match live the same day.

Akcaabat Sebat game will be played at Kamil Ocak without spectators.

Latest gaffe: Turkish media responded to Antepspor's 1st-leg efforts by expressing absolutely no interest. No telecast - live or delayed. No TV cameras to cover their Olimpico conference.

And the official Antepspor site has its usual great coverage for this historic occasion: gaziantepspor.org.tr .

Some of the few proof that the team is in Rome:

List of Roma players for Wednesday. Full squad except for Dacourt, Chivu, and Montella.
http://www.asromacalcio.it/

Thanks, PFDK, for announcing the penalty following the latest crowd problem at Kamil Ocak today. One match stadium ban (plus 2,500,000,000 TL fine). Team need to travel this weekend (so will the Sebat team), if to avoid two crowdless games in a row.

Supposed to be a momorable moment - Antepspor arriving in Rome to meet a top Italian team -, but where are the pictures? We've got to settle with these. (Of course, it wasn't Fiumicino. The other airport in Rome.)

20 players and staff, jouranalists, and dozens of supporters departed the Oguzeli for Rome. Unfortunately, Hasan Ozer couldn't join because of an injury suffered during the game yesterday. (Also dropped: Onur, Hasan Yurt)