ISTANBUL – The Bahcelievler stronghold showed some cracks for a little while. The Turkish title holders in the Europa Club for teams had one small obstacle left on their way to the cross finals: the Danes of BK Gröndal, who jad lost 7-1 to FC Porto yesterday But that last group match did not turn out to be a walk-over at all. In reality, Bahcelievler was trailing on all four tables halfway through, and they needed at least one win.
They were saved, not only by the crowd in the stands, who yelled their team on and gave us a taste of what can be expected on the final day, but also by Adnan Yüksel, who finished strongly in his match against Michael Lohse (40-28 in 17) and was again the best player of his team. Two of the other three matches ended in a draw: Murat Naci Coklu caught up with Lars Dunch and escaped with a 40-40 in 30.
Tayfun Tasdemir, trailing against Dion Nelin most of the match, also got away with a point: 40-40 in 20 innings. Lütfi Cenet then beat Tonny Carlsen, who had a 30-22 lead but then stopped scoring altogether (40-30 to Cenet in 20), and Bahcelievler was certain to win their group, to the delight of the spectators.
The final score in the flight:
1 Bahcelievler 4-1.987-13
2 FC Porto 2-1.478-9
3 BK Gröndal 0-1.334-9.
The other title favorite, Dallinga/AEJ, did not have to walk a similar tightrope. Their opponent – the Italians of All Games Alcamo - were of a lesser calibre it has to be said. Frédéric Caudron set the pace in an astonishing 30 minute win over Michele Notarrigio: 40-8 in 14 innings. That means, his opponents eight points included, that the Belgian made two caroms every minute!!
Dick Jaspers had little resistance from Emilio Sciacca and turned the match into an exhibition with a run of fourteen, that took him to 36-8 in 15 innings. Eddy Merckx steamrolled Orlando (40-21 in 22) and only Jean Paul de Bruijn had trouble finding the high level he had shown earlier (2.500 in the afternoon). The player from Zeeland even trailed 18-11 against Libero Picciano, but countered with a run of fifteen (highest run so far) and won the match 40-32 in 21.
The final group ranking:
1 Dallinga/AEJ 4-2.071-15
2 Andernos 2-1.289
3 All Games Alcano 0-863-7
The cross finals on Sunday: 10.00 Bahcelievler-Andernos 12.00: Dallinga/AEJ-FC Porto
The individual ranking on average after the group stage:
1 Adnan Yüksel 2.580
2 Frédéric Caudron 2.500
3 Jean Paul de Bruijn 2.162
3 Dick Jaspers 2.162
5 Tayfun Tasdemir 2.105
6 Lütfi Cenet 2.051
7 Filippos Kasidokostas 1.837
8 Jérôme Barbeillon 1.739
9 Dani Sánchez 1.702
10 Torbjörn Blomdahl 1.675.
Highest runs:
1 Jean Paul de Bruijn 15
2 Dick Jaspers 14
3 Lütfi Cenet 13
4 Tayfun Tasdemir en Adnan Yüksel 10.
The semi-finals for tomorrow, Sunday:
10.00: Bahcelievler-Andernos
12.00: Dallinga/AEJ/FC Porto
Final: 16.00.