SAMPIYON FENERBAHCE!!!

Fenerbahce are 2006-2007 Turkcell Super Lig Champions! Fenerbahce drew even with Trabzonspor on Sunday, but combined with a Besiktas loss and a Galatasaray draw, Fener clinched the Super Lig championship in Izmir.

Fener's day started with high hopes, playing in front of a packed house full of yellow and navy fans in Izmir, but Trabzonspor put a damper on the day only two minutes in with a goal from Huseyin. The fans' joy returned, however, less than two minutes later as Tuncay Sanli connected to give the fans two goals in the first four minutes of the game. Tuncay received a great pass on the right side of the pitch, then went left, faked, and went right to find the back right corner of the net tying the game at 1-1.

Only minutes before halftime, Trabzonspor's Yattara arched the ball past Serdar on a penalty kick, putting Trabzon up 2-1 going into the break. From there, the second half would start tentatively as Fener had opportunities to equalize, but could not find the back of the net. As minutes began to tick away, it appeared that Fener would leave Izmir with no points, putting great pressure on them going into Ali Sami Yen Stadium to face Galatasaray next week.

Fenerbahce's luck would change only five minutes before the end of regulation, after Alex de Souza missed a great opportunity on a penalty shot that would have evened the game. Stephen Appiah sent the ball toward goal, and oft-maligned Deivid de Souza, frequently the target of criticism this season, headed the ball into the back of the net, tying the game at 2-2. It looked as if Fener would leave Izmir with one point, but it wouldn't be enough as Galatasaray was leading Sivasspor 1-0 in the closing minutes. Besiktas had already fallen 3-0 at Bursaspor, meaning old rivals Fenerbahce and Galatasaray were duking it out, despite playing other teams. As the minutes wound down in Izmir, Sivasspor equalized in the final moments against the Lions, clinching the title for Fenerbahce.

As the Galatasaray and Besiktas scores were announced, it was clear that Fener would become champions and the parties began from Izmir back to Kadikoy. Fenerbahce wins their 17th Super Lig Championship since 1959, the most of any team in Turkiye. Sampiyon Fenerbahce!!!