1 Tuesday 12 February 2019 Tuesday 12 Feb 2019 2 3 AS Roma GK Pietro Boer MF Andrea Astrologo MF Mory Bamba MF Edoardo Bove DF Alessio Buttaro FW Metteo Cancellieri DF Mattia Ciucci (C) MF Tommaso Milanese DF Samuele Suffer DF Matteo Tomassini MF Filippo Tripi ROMA WIN WELL TO SET UP ASPIRE CLASH FC Spartak Moscow GK Pavel Boriskin Roma advanced to the semi-finals with a Roma were beginning to dominate, and Roma passed up a host of chances DF Nikolai Tolstopiatov straight forward 3-0 victory over Spartak Alessio Buttaro went close moments later with subsequently, the best of which fell to DF Vadim Khromin Moscow, after the Russians had been a close range, side-footed volley that the substitute Daniel Tueto Fotso just before the DF Vyacheslav Frolov reduced to 10 men midway through the Spartak keeper saved well at his near post. hour mark, when he popped up unmarked MF Aslan Mutaliev second half. six yards out but mis-controlled the in- MF Ilya Levechenkov Mory Bamba’s pace was troubling swinging corner and the chance was gone. FW Ilya Golyatov (C) The Italians came into the game as one of the Russian backline, who resorted to MF Daniil Grigorev the tournament favourites after their 5-2 questionable tactics to halt his runs on more Boriskin continued to keep Spartak in the MF Sviatoslav Kozhedub mauling of PSG in their opening match was than one occasion, with Vyacheslav Frolov game with a series of splendid saves, but the DF Maksim Stepanenko followed up with a highly efficient 2-0 victory cautioned early on for hacking down the Russian keeper couldn’t hold back the tide DF Nikolay Genchu over Kashiwa Reysol. speedy winger as he got away down the forever, and Roma doubled their lead as the right. game entered its final quarter, with Tueto Spartak, meanwhile, had also shown Fotso heading home. considerable potential in the group stage, Just after the half hour, and following another rebounding from a narrow loss against Real foul, Astrologo put in a high, angled cross In added time, Riccardo Ciervo’s strike Madrid to comfortably dispatch Suwon from the right that Edoardo Bove rose highest into the roof of the net was chalked out for Samsung by three goals to one. And, to head home. offside, only for the decision to be corrected MAN OF THE MATCH in Ilya Golyatov, Spartak possessed the after a VAR review, following a lengthy delay tournament’s joint top scorer, and a player Spartak’s spoiling tactics continued, with for consultations. Ciervo almost added a capable of winning a game on his own. Vadim Khromin seeing yellow after blocking fourth within moments of the restart, only for Edoardo BOVE, ROMA off Bamba – not for the first time. Boriskin to produce another spectacular save Roma were on the front foot from the first to keep out the first-time volley. whistle, and engineered an early chance Despite being constantly under the cosh, MVP of the Match Andrea Astrologo got up well to head a cross Ilya Levchenkov could have equalised for Roma will face Aspire Academy in the from the right goalwards, but keeper Pavel Moscow just after the restart, but could not second of Wednesday’s semi-finals. Both Boriskin saved comfortably. connect with a low cross from six yards out. sides have impressed thus far and will have to be at their very best to reach the final. Five minutes later Astrologo turned supplier, Soon after, Spartak’s tough task became sending in a corner from the left that skipper even more difficult when Frolov was shown Mattia Ciucci rose to meet, but again Boriskin a second yellow for a late challenge on was equal to it. Matteo Cancellieri. I thought Roma looked the stronger side, Spartak Moscow were unlucky to The Experts lose a player in the fifty first minute and once that happened, Roma were “ so much stronger with a man advantage that it was going to be a very difficult task for Spartiak to get back into the game. Well done AS Roma, they look very strong, and I know the MVP went to Bove, but I would have given the man of the match to Tomassini, the Roma defender who literally X Say… negated Mutaliev, the Spartak Moscow playmaker, so much so that he played him out of the game, or as they say in football, he had him in his Rhodri Williams - pocket. Mutaliev has been such a dangerous player all tournament, and Match Score “this time around we didn’t see him because of the incredible work Al Kass Analyst of Tomassini. 3 0 AS Roma FC Spartak Moscow Al Kass International Cup Tuesday 12 Feb 2019 4 5 the youth sides, so it is no surprise that they Manchester City and Liverpool, along with exist is to develop homegrown players who impressed against higher profile clubs at other major European outfits like Barcelona, are capable of playing for the best clubs Alkass. Bayern and Roma, and we could yet in the world. Turkey is currently an importer As well as developing players’ footballing see some of the players who have shone of footballers, but we want to transform the ability, Altinordu educate players in other at Alkass – such as striker Enis Destan – country into an exporter of talent. In order ways. It’s all part of a plan to help their progressing to bigger clubs in the near future. to change the perception of Turkish football players cope in modern football, so players Not all of their talented players join overseas we have to produce players of the highest are given social media courses as well as clubs though as Berke Ozer, dubbed the caliber.” teaching personal development, football ‘Turkish Gianluigi Donnarumma’ was snapped history, English, gymnastics, judo, and even up by Fenerbahce under the noses of Ozcan concluded: “If a player is good chess and farming. Such attention to detail Manchester City. enough we will give him a shot. We even may be common at major European clubs have an under-six team coming through the but it is very rare in Turkey. Having bought the club for $10 US million, ranks and our aim is not just Europe; our sons Ozcan pumps in a further $2 million per will play across the world.” Altinordu’s influence is Spanish rather than year to run the club, and by cultivating Turkish though as they use Athletic Bilbao as the enormous talent that lies in the club’s “We are a feeder club; our goal is to their role models. Bilbao famously only sign academy he hopes to show the world that always be one, but one that is also able to players from the Basque region, and their Turkish youngsters can become a success. be competitive, and with our philosophy, youth academy is known as ‘cantera’, which Ozkan added: “These children are our future our investment, and with patience we are translates to quarry in Spanish. so we need to raise them well. Our motto is confident of achieving our goals.” ‘good person, good citizen, good footballer’, The Spaniards look to develop players from and if we can nurture the really talented childhood and bring the best all the way players we have then we can produce the through to the senior teams, and it is a best generation this country has seen for a romantic idea that appeals to Ozkan, who long time. has built close links with Bilbao. “Our mission, our vision and values are clear; Altinordu’s approach has attracted interest we want our kids to reach the highest level in AMBITIOUS ALTINORDU AIM TO from Premier League clubs such as Arsenal, world football,” Ozkan adds. “The reason we REVOLUTIONIZE TURKISH FOOTBALL Turkish club Altinordu FK have enjoyed testing ranks is Çağlar Söyüncü who is now with Ozkan’s vision is to benefit both club and themselves against bigger clubs at the Alkass former English Premier League champions country as he hopes that by getting into one International Cup, but now they aim to make Leicester City. of the two major UEFA competitions – the their mark on the world. Europa League, or preferably the Champions The defender made his debut for the senior League, their players will come to the Formed in 1923, Altinordu is one of the oldest national team debut in 2016, becoming the attention of bigger European clubs and will clubs in Turkey, but it was only 10 years ago first Altinordu player for 78 years to be called earn big money moves that would see them that their exciting project to revolutionize up by Turkey. gain experience that would help the Turkish Turkish football was launched. national team. Altinordu were bought by Seyit Mehmet The club currently occupy a play-off spot Ozkan in 2009, and he set out to build a club Ozkan wants to bring through players that in 1 Lig, Turkey’s second division, but while purely using homegrown talent. are of good character as well as bringing they may not be the best senior team in the talent to the pitch, and more than half of the country, at junior level it is another matter. Seven said: “It is only 10 years since the club first team – which has an average age of 21 was bought, so the project is still very young. – is now made up of players who have come It may be some time before they are ready Seyit is a prominent Turkish businessman with through the club’s academy.