First-half strikes undo Lions
by Joe Short
Three first-half strikes from Galatasaray earned the Turkish side three points against a spirited FC Copenhagen in their third group game of the UEFA Champions League.
The Lions didn’t lie down despite early goals from Felipe Melo and Wesley Sneijder handing the home side the advantage, before Didier Drogba scored a third inside the half.
Claudemir got a consolation at the death that was no more than they deserved from a battling night inside the Türk Telecom Arena.
The defeat leaves Copenhagen fourth in Group B with a return leg against Gala in PARKEN next up.
Galatasaray start strong
Head coach Ståle Solbakken made two changes from the Lions’ victory over AaB at the weekend, bringing in the suspended Pierre Bengtsson to left-back while Daniel Braaten earned a start up front with Igor Vetokele.
Wesley Sneijder was the first to get a shot on goal just five minutes in, the Dutchman mistiming his volley into Johan Wiland’s hands. It wouldn’t take long for Galatasaray to take the lead, however, when Felipe Melo burst past the FCK centre-halves to head home a powerful header from Dany Nounkeu’s cross.
It took Copenhagen 13 minutes to have their first spell of real possession and when they did they nearly scored. Rurik Gislason and Lars Jacobsen did well down the right wing to force a couple of corners but Vetokele glanced a resulting near-post header over the crossbar.
Sneijder and Drogba at the double
Two minutes later and Wiland stood strong to block Didier Drogba from a certain finish after the striker had turned Ragnar Sigurdsson to meet the goalkeeper one-on-one. Copenhagen held their own without threatening for a further 15 minutes, Galatasaray closing high up the pitch to force FCK’s back line into regular hurried balls away.
Gala made it 2-0 just seven minutes before half time when they hit Copenhagen with a move from the back. Emmanuelle Eboué dodged a tackle from Braaten to carry the ball forward, lay left to Sneijder who finished the attack with a composed side-footed finish past Wiland.
It was 3-0 just before the break when Drogba tapped home Eboué’s rapid sprint and cut back, the Ivorian with an open goal as the FCK defence was ripped apart.
FCK prove resilience
Ståle made two changes at half time, bringing on Fanendo Adi and Christian Bolaños for Vetokele and Gislason – Nicolai Jørgensen pushing forward to partner Adi. The pair almost linked up for an FCK goal 11 minutes into the half but Jørgensen’s low ball across the box was snapped out before Adi could finish as the Lions began to utilise their rare possession.
On 66 minutes Burak Yilmaz came close to making it four when he beat the offside trap but failed to wrap his foot around the ball, slotting wide of the FCK right post. The striker shot over on a counter seven minutes later after Bengtsson was left too far forward from an FCK play.
Jørgensen sent an effort over with possibly Copenhagen’s best chance of the game, finding the fans after patient play on the edge of the box and on 84 minutes was inches off connecting with a throughball that would have resulted in a goal.
Claudemir strikes late on
Braaten departed for Youssef Toutouh shortly after and within minutes FCK finally earned the goal they deserved. Claudemir began and finished the move, passing forward to Jørgensen who flicked back to the Brazilian, who charged into the box through Gala’s defence before finishing a neat effort for 3-1.
It was no more than FCK deserved and although the goal was too late to make a significant change on the night it is something Ståle can take back to the Danish capital ahead of the return leg in a fortnight’s time.
GALATASARAY: 3 FC COPENHAGEN: 1
Galatasaray: Musiera, Nounkeu, Chedjou, Semih Kaya, Eboué, Melo, Inan, Sneijder, Bruma, Drogba, Burak.
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Jacobsen (C), Mellberg, Sigurdsson, Bengtsson, Gislason, Delaney, Claudemir, Jørgensen, Vetokele, Braaten.
Goals: Melo, Galatasaray (10’), Sneijder, Galatasaray (38’), Drogba, Galatasaray (45+1’), Claudemir (88’).
Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (MKD).
