Football United

Our most impressive performance since the start of the season was able to turn the game around after going 1-0 down to Malatyaspor early in the game and come out as 3-1 winners. Marcio Nobre twice again in a league game and Deniz Barış scored his first goal in a Fenerbahçe shirt.
Many were baffled as to how Christoph Daum had planned to organise the starting 11 he announced and from the starting seconds it was clear he was playing a 4-1-3-2 formation, with Deniz at left back and Ümit Özat at right back, Fabio Luciano and Servet Çetin in centre back, Marco Aurelio as the holding man, Tuncay Şanlı, Alex de Souza and Serkan Balcı in midfield with Pierre van Hooijdonk and Marcio Nobre upfront. Alex was given license to roam and help the forwards as per usual.

The visitors caught our defence in a shambles early on, as fans looked to suddenly see four Malatyaspor attackers against our two centre backs. Milan Osterc took advantage and squeezed in a shot to beat Rüştü Reçber in the seventh minute.

Following the goal, we piled on the pressure and the game developed into one of the most exciting of the season so far. Fevzi Tuncay was forced to perform some reflex saves, but he was close to giving away a penalty when he fumbled a shot before Alex found himself on the floor when he tried to capitalise. The referee pointed to the corner flag.

Ümit cleared serious danger from the goal line in the 24th minute, but a minute later we came just as close when Luciano struck a bullet header onto a corner, forcing a save from Fevzi on the line.

Rüştü performed one of the saves of the season in the 28th minute when he used his left hand to control a close range shot from Osterc that was deflected in the last second. The end-to-end game continued at the same pace as Alex hit a header just over the crossbar two minutes later and van Hooijdonk`s effort was so nearly helped on by Nobre two minutes after that.

Luciano was seen venturing up front on a few occassions towards the end of the half and he came close with a header and could have done better with a shot he took in the 38th minute. However it was to be a different Brazilian which got the equaliser, when Luciano`s header was blocked on the line by Mkalele but Nobre was as far as it went and he hit into the roof of the net to equalise before the break.

Tuncay provided the first moment of excitement in the second half when his superb shot was denied by the woodwork with Fevzi well beaten. A Pierre free-kick is certain to hit the target when it rises above the wall, but on this occassion Fevzi could reach the Dutchman`s shot and palm away to keep the score level.

Deniz featured more in the second half as he broke forward less reluctantly and he turned into a provider in the 57th minute when a low quick cross was met well by Nobre who scored another close range goal, 2-1.

With the buzz of a better personal display in the second half, Deniz reached the height of joy when he scored his first goal in a Fenerbahçe jersey, striking a shot first time with his left foot into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area to score the final goal of the game.

Fenerbahçe: Rüştü Reçber, Ümit Özat, Deniz Barış, Servet Çetin, Fabio Luciano, Alex de Souza, Serkan Balcı, Marco Aurelio, Tuncay Şanlı, Marcio Nobre, Pierre van Hooijdonk

Goals: 7` Österc (Malatyaspor), 43`, 58` Marcio Nobre, 73` Deniz Barış (Fenerbahçe)

Source: Fenerbahçe.org