Fenerbahçe 3 - 0 PSV - Derby United (CL)
Europe witnessed a true spectacle tonight as we brushed aside last season’s semi finalists PSV Eindhoven with a clear 3-0 victory - Alex de Souza starred, scoring two and assisting the other, but the whole team was worthy of credit as we got our first three points in Group E.
Marcio Nobre stepped in the team to feature in a re-shaped side due to Tuncay Þanlý’s injury, playing up front alone with Nicolas Anelka circling around him. Both played superbly and were moving around in constant motion to find and make space for the team. Alex de Souza certainly capitalised on that.
Selçuk Þahin, Marco Aurelio and Stephen Appiah are becoming something of a cult in midfield, all helping eachother when pressing for the ball whilst assisting the full backs’ defences of the wings. The trio battled immensely, each winning balls with their own style and quickly releasing it productively to create danger.
PSV’s threats were well studied. Jefferson Farfan was quickly shut down when in possession, while DaMarcus Beasley was blocked to near ineffectivity by the excellent Önder Turacý and Fabio Luciano. As our attacks built up, so did the corner kicks.
Another wicked corner by Alex was handled by Jan Venegoor of Hesselink in the area in a fashion Gomes would be proud of in goal. Referee Manuel Gonzales waited a second to see if Luciano was going to score, but he then pointed to spot, producing a yellow card for the PSV striker. Alex stepped up and stuck the ball into the top right hand corner for his second goal of the tournament so far. With minutes to go to the break the packed Saracoðlu was as jubilant as ever.
Selçuk should have made it 2-0 a minute later, as he broke into the area and had space to think and launch, but his shot was unacceptably wide. However, his ball winning was sound on the night, and it forced Venegoor of Hesselink into man handling him down after he pinched possession from him. He picked up his second booking and the Dutchman marched off to end his nightmare in Kadýköy.
Guus Hiddink now had to account for a one-man shortage at half time - as did Christoph Daum, who was probably seeing a more possible prospect of a second goal early on. Both sides remained unchanged after the break, but PSV’s urge for an equaliser and the gap created by Venegoor of Hesselink’s absence was beginning to show.
Anelka’s supreme confidence in every move combined with his blistering pace was tearing the visitors apart. This was surely to create clear-cut opportunities for more goals in the second half.
It was Alex’s exceptional first time long pass through to Anelka that started the second goal’s move. The Frenchman ran past his marker before entering the area and waiting for the entrances of his team-mates into the danger zone. He looked up and clipped a perfect ball for the oncoming Alex, who headed first time past Gomes; 2-0, 68 minutes gone.
PSV were working extremely hard to make up for their numerical deficit, but our midfield was closing all doors on Philip Cocu, Timmy Simmons and Ibrahim Afellay in the Dutch midfield. Eric Addo endured a torrid time with Ümit Özat frequently bursting forward to provide ammunition.
The fans were virtually playing the game, feeling every pass and sensing the flair before it even happened. As the songs became more celebrative, so did Fenerbahçe’s football of the game itself. Our Brazilian flair began to show - though not just by the star man Alex. Serkan Balcý played a fantastic game both defensively and offensively on the right. He dribbled his way between three PSV players after the second goal, before being brought down as he was preparing to cross.
The mood around the stadium was reflected on the final goal, a true summary of the form we’re currently in. Anelka, Alex and Selçuk combined in a move that had heads turning, with the Brazilian back heeling to Appiah through Selçuk’s dummy for the Ghanaian to score his first goal since signing, and the last of a wonderful evening.
Schalke 04 drew 2-2 at home to AC Milan in the other game of the group, coming back from behind twice to earn their only point so far. PSV follow us in third with the same points after Matchday 2.
Fenerbahçe: Volkan, Luciano, Önder, Serkan, Ümit, Appiah, Aurelio, Selçuk, Nobre, Alex, Anelka.
PSV Eindhoven: Gomes, Alex, Ooijer, Simons, Venegoor of Hesselink, Lucius, Addo, Farfan, Cocu, Affelan, Beasley.
Goal: Alex (40´ pen, 68´); Appiah 90+2´
Source: fenerbahce.org
