Fenerbahçe strike again

I love sports. As Fenerbahçe proceed further into the Champion’s League, every subsequent game becomes the most important game in their European history. Today, they taught Chelsea a lesson in finishing with a 2-1 victory. Watching the game on a choppy German feed on the Internet, I felt queasy at the end of the first half. An own goal had Chelsea ahead and the London club with negligible tradition and history could have had a couple more. The beginning of the second half was more of the same until a cameo by little-used Colin Kazim-Richards inspired Fenerbahçe to score twice in the final half hour. A tough test lies ahead in London but Fenerbahçe must be buoyant having won playing sub-par football against a team playing strong football.

Chelsea must wonder what happened as they failed to kill the tie when they had the chance. It shows the difference between them and the other English team that buys titles – Manchester United. One has a manager who gives his team a killer instinct and the other has one who seems like a small fish in a big pond. In any case, I despise both teams as they prefer to spend for their success rather than develop talent. Quick quiz: how many English players did the four English quarter-finalists field? 13. Out of about 50 total. That’s pathetic and helps explain why the English national team is so bad.

Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe continue to show steel and determination that was missing for so many years. As recently as last year, I would have expected them to fold and concede after going behind but they’ve now shown in three straight European games that they have the mental strength to overcome setbacks. My confidence is sky-high as they’ll welcome back Roberto Carlos and Gökhan to their starting eleven in the return leg. There’s no way they’ll play this poorly again and I expect a positive result despite Chelsea’s supposedly formidable record on a home field filled with band-wagon fans. Yaşa Fener!

Here’s Deivid’s incredible goal – Fener’s second – making amends for his earlier own goal. Watch with the sounds on to get a flavor of the passion of European football. I still go delirious every time I see this and it’s been about twenty views already.