Canaries Aim For The Top As They Face Erciyes Away

The top spot of the Spor Toto Super League has been changing hands on a daily basis for several weeks now. That could happen again on Friday when defending champion Fenerbahçe takes on Suat Altın İnşaat Kayseri Erciyesspor in the week 14 curtain raiser at the ultra-modern Kadir Has Stadium on Friday.

The Yellow Canaries go into this match in third place with 27 points from 13 games, trailing second place Galatasaray by one and leader Beşiktaş by two. This means Fenerbahçe would leapfrog both Galatasaray and Beşiktaş into first place if it wins at Kayseri on Friday. However, everything will return to square one if Galatasaray beats Mersin İdmanyurdu at home on Saturday and Beşiktaş triumphs over visiting Gaziantepspor the following day.

But, first things first. The Canaries therefore will first strive to overcome Erciyesspor and wait for the outcome of the matches involving their rivals. İsmail Kartal's Canaries have shown consistency in the last three games in all competitions. They beat bottom club Balıkesir away 1-0 in week 12, crushed struggling Sivasspor 4-1 at home in İstanbul in week 13 last Friday and thrashed fourth division Bayburt Grup Özel İdare 3-1 in the Turkish Cup on Tuesday.

Confident Canaries

Confidence at the Fener camp, without an iota of doubt, is sky high ahead of the clash against Kayseri Erciyesspor. However Kartal may be missing Cameroon forward Pierre Webo, who suffered a knock during Tuesday's game against Bayburtspor.

The good news is that left winger Caner Erkin, who collapsed at an İstanbul restaurant this week, has recovered and returned to training with the rest of the team. Club doctors said he is fit as a fiddle and can resume competitive action.

In Webo's absence, Kartal is almost certainly going to start with Nigerian forward Emmanuel Emenike and Senegal striker Moussa Sow upfront, with Dutchman Dirk Kuyt as the second striker. There is a great gulf in class between Fenerbahçe and Kayseri Erciyesspor; hence, the Canaries are expected to carry the day if they keep their eyes on the prize.

However, this is football that at times can be as unpredictable as an African black mamba. Put another way, no game is won or lost until it is played and so the Canaries cannot count their chickens before they're hatched.

Uğur Tütüneker's Erciyesspor is the underdog, but Kartal and his Canaries should not expect an easy win. Erciyesspor may be weakened if injured striker İlhan Parlak, Senegal forward Abdou Kader Mangane and Cameroon midfielder Georges Constant Mandjeck do not recover before match time. The odds notwithstanding, Kayseri Erciyesspor is expected to put up a good fight. Kickoff is at 8 p.m.

OKAN UDO BASSEY (Cihan/Today's Zaman)