New-Look Trabzon Hosts Erciyesspor In Week 18 Opener

Ersun Yanal's Trabzonspor, with several new players on its squad, hosts struggling Kayseri Erciyesspor in week 18 of the Spor Toto Super League at Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium on Friday.

Trabzonspor, also called the Black Sea Storm, goes into Friday's game in sixth place with 26 points, trailing defending champion and leader Fenerbahçe by 13 and the other İstanbul giants, Beşiktaş and Galatasaray, by 12. Kayseri Erciyesspor is placed 13th with 17 points, only three away from the relegation bracket.

A new-look Trabzonspor thrashed visiting Medicana Sivasspor 3-1 in week 17 last Friday. But the Storm was surprisingly held 0-0 in the Ziraat Turkish Cup by third division Ankara side Keçiörengücü this week.

Trabzonspor successfully completed the transfer of Turkish-Swedish winger Erkan Zengin, who was also sought by Fenerbahçe, from Eskişehirspor, and the 29-year-old featured against Sivasspor last Friday, providing an inch-perfect assist. The other outstanding newcomer, former Turkey keeper Hakan Arıkan, acquired on loan from Kayserispor, also played in that match.

The odds are that Trabzonspor is stronger than Mehmet Özdilek's Kayseri Erciyesspor and therefore should win in front of its fans at Avni Aker on Friday. But the fact of the matter is that no football match is won or lost -- except by default -- and so the Storm should not make the mistake of counting its chickens before they are hatched. Kickoff is at 8 p.m.

The other Super League match pits Akhisar Belediyespor against bottom club Balıkesirspor in a game that starts at 7 p.m.

(Cihan/Today's Zaman)