Football Journey: April 2023

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Turkey II Division

Turkey. Ranked 23rd. Second Division. A battle for top position happened only in Group B. In Group A and Group C the leaders were too strong to permit competition. The winners were directly promoted, but the Group B winner was ineligible – it was a B-team of First Division club – and that provided opportunity for reduction of the top league by 1 team in the next season. 18 teams played in each group of the Second Division and 3 points for a win were given. The last 4 teams in each group were relegated to Third Level and among them were

Group A. Nothing interesting at the top – two teams were way too strong and also unequal.

At the other end of the table Kayserispor was last – may be surprising for those following Turkish football in the 21st century, but back in time Kayserispor was practically anonymous lowly club. They finished as outsiders: 7 points behind the 16th, Bitlispor (Group A had 17 teams this season).

Genclerbirligi (Ankara) dominated the championship from start and finished 16 points ahead of the 2nd, Orduspor (which in turn had no rival either, leaving Gaziantepspor 11 points behind). 23 wins, 7 ties, only 2 lost games, 73-24 goal-difference and 76 points. Genclerbirligi was flying and returned to First Division.

Group B. Two teams were entangled in battle for first place, leaving the rest of the league behind. At the bottom, Trabzonspor ended at the last place with 23 points – but relax, it was only the B-team of the top Turkish provincial club.

However, one better known team had horrible season – Zonguldakspor, just relegated from Form Division, where they played often, finished 15th with 43 points and were further relegated down. They lost on worse goal-difference the battle for survival to Sumerbank Beykozspor.

Up the table, Giresunspor ended 8th with 48 points. Not bad for freshly promoted team, but this was nothing compared to the season another newcomer had.

Two teams left the rest of the league behind and fought for 1st place. Neither was well known – Bakirkoyspor and Bursaspor. Well.. Bursaspor was known and regular top-league member, but this was their B team, just promoted from Third Level.

Bakirkoyspor outscored Bursaspor B by 6 goals and ended with best goal-difference, but... 2 points behind the competition. 64 points did not do it...

Fascinating and well deserved victory of Bursaspor B – or Bursaspor Amateur: take either name and will be no wrong. 19 wins, 9 ties, 6 losses, 56-25 goal-difference, 66 points. Rarely newcomers from Third Division win the upper championship and second teams win hardly ever. Which at the end is the their undoing... as a second team of Bursaspor, Bursaspor B was ineligible for promotion. Still, the victory was sweet.

Group C. No rivalry for top position, yet, it was exciting season – at least for one club. No surprises from newcomers from third level – Uzunkopruspor, for instance, was the season's outsider, finishing last 7 points behind Duzcespor, 17th.

Up the table, Eyupspor finished 13th with 40 points.

Newcomer Ayvalikgucu ended 11th with 45 points – not bad.

Freshly relegated from First Division Kocaelispor was unable to recover strength - 7th with 50 points.

Kusadasispor had good season - 3rd with 62 points.

Perhaps Denizlispor, just relegated, wanted to climb back to First Division, but was not up to the task - 2nd with 66 points.

Zeytinburnuspor (Istanbul) was wonderful this season: 28 wins, 1 tie, 5 losses, 80-23 goal-difference and 85 points. They left Denizlispor 19 points behind and finished with the best record in all Second Division groups – earning 9 points more than the winners of Group A Genclerbirligi. Not only that, but this was historic season for one of smaller clubs of Istanbul – Zeytinburnu was going to play top league football for the first time in their history. Good luck to them!