Another tale of glory for Callum Davidson’s heroic Saints

The young Saints manager was retracing his steps to Turkey nine years on from a 2-0 loss to lesser lights Eskisehirspor. Back then, the former Scotland international still had his boots on, playing a defensive role for Steve Lomas, with current players Liam Craig, Murray Davidson and Stevie May also featuring in a 2-0 first leg Europa League defeat.

With Galatasaray’s customarily intimidating Turk Telekom stadium currently undergoing renovation, the tie was moved to the 17,000 capacity Basaksehir ground. It was far from full at kick-off, with none of the pyrotechnics which have become the trademark of Turkish supporters.

After an impressive debut in the scoreless draw away to Ross County, Davidson stood by on-loan Manchester United wing back Reece Devine and looked to regular starters David Wotherspoon, Kane and Michael O’Halloran to take the game to the home side.

McCann impressed in midfield for St Johnstone

TOLGA ADANALI / SNS GROUP

The Turks went into the tie still licking their wounds after a 7-2 aggregate mauling from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, which put paid to their Champions League aspirations and prompted president Burak Elmas to warn that veteran Colombian striker Radamel Falcao’s hefty salary was now beyond their means. The former Monaco, Manchester United and Chelsea attacker, now 35, was listed among the replacements.

The budget may be under pressure but manager Fatih Terim still enjoyed wriggle room to sign Netherlands international full-back Patrick van Aanholt, formerly of Crystal Palace, in the wake of the PSV debacle.

The Saints’ game plan was to keep it tight in the opening minutes but it might have been shredded had Galatasaray exploited the visitors’ early nerves. Egyptian international Mostafa Mohamed was given too much latitude to drift onto an Aytac Kara cross but with Devine struggling to cover for his central defenders the attacker leaned back and blasted his six-yard shot high over the beckoning target.

The Perth side rode their luck again in the seventh minute when midfielder Kerem Akturkoglu’s crisp right foot strike struck the base of the post and while keeper Zander Clark clawed away Mohamed’s follow-up effort the striker had strayed offside.

With Saints on the ropes, Clark was tested again in the 15th minute. This time, he reacted instinctively to swat away Brazilian defender Marcao’s powerful close range header.

Finding some much-needed composure, Wotherspoon produced his trademark chop inside which bemused Boey when energetic midfielder McCann surged 30 yards after latching onto a cute O’Halloran flick in the 29th minute. Yet again, however, the shot was tame and easily gathered by the keeper.

A series of fouls tested the patience of Swiss referee Sacho Scharar and resulted in a booking for lone striker Kane.

Frustrated Galatasaray manager Terim made three changes at the break, with Mohamed, Ryan Babel and Van Aanholt kept indoors.

McCann’s athleticism forced Taylan Antalyali into a trip and a booking before Perth skipper Kerr followed suit for a robust challenge on Muslera.

Saints shocked the home fans by snatching a 58th minute lead from the penalty spot, with errant keeper Muslera red-carded for inexplicably wrestling Kane to the ground when the striker latched onto a woefully short Karc back pass. Kerr squeezed a scuffed shot low beyond substitute keeper Berk Balaban to find the net.

But the short-handed Turks drew level just two minutes later when debutant Boey stole past rookie Devine to lash an angled 16-yard shot into the far corner.

Saints substitute Steve May almost cashed in on yet more eccentric goalkeeping but with Balaban stranded outside his area, the centre’s 25-yard shot was mopped up on the line by Marcao.

And in the closing stages Clark diverted a Marcao header round the post and secure a memorable result in Istanbul.

Galatasaray (4-2-3-1): F Muslera 3 — S Boey 7, C Luyindama 7, Marcao 8, P van Aanholt 6 (O Bayram 46min, 5) — A Kara 7 (B Balaban 58, 2) T Antalyali 6 — K Akturkoglu 8, B Kutlu 7 (J Sedkidika 86), R Babel 6 (A Turan 46, 5) — Mostafa Mohamed 4 (Diagne 46, 5). Booked Antalyali, Marcao, Turan. Sent off Muslera.

St Johnstone (3-4-2-1): Z Clark 8 — J Kerr 7, L Gordon 7, J McCart 8 — S Rooney 6 (J Brown 88), A McCann 9, M Davidson 6, R Devine 6 (C Booth 88) — D Wotherspoon 7, M O’Halloran 7 (C Hendry 76) — Kane 7 (S May 68, 5). Booked Kane, Kerr, Devine.

Referee S Scharar (Swi).

Manager lauds his side on ‘special night’ in Istanbul
A delighted Callum Davidson described last night’s heroic draw in Istanbul as a “special night” for St Johnstone as the Perth side stood toe-to-toe with one of the big names of European football and emerged with their reputation enhanced and the tie still very much alive.

Few would have given Davidson’s side much of a chance against Galatasaray who, despite perhaps not matching the strength of their great sides of the past, are still a significant force with a budget most Scottish clubs could only dream of. But this St Johnstone side seem to revel in toppling reputations and are building on their dream campaign of last season when they brought two pieces of silverware back to McDiarmid Park.

“This is a special night for St Johnstone,” Davidson said . “I am pleased to be going back to Perth with the tie still alive — that’s what we wanted to do.

“We don’t want to kid ourselves, it’s still going to be a really tough ask because they are a quality team. This was a big night for us in terms of the result and the performance, but all we’ve done is give ourselves a little chance to create history.

“If you’d asked people beforehand what they thought would happen here most would say Galatasaray will score four or five. So if you told someone it would be Galatasaray 1 St Johnstone 1 they’d think you were having a laugh.

“We wanted to get it back to Perth with something to play for and hopefully we will be allowed a full house.

“It will be a great occasion getting Galatasaray to McDiarmid Park in a tie that is still finely balanced. We want the place to be rocking and to help make it a great European night.

“The atmosphere tonight was electric, we haven’t played in front of a crowd like that in a long time and it sounded like 30,000 there instead of 8,000 or whatever it was. So we had to get used to that again but once we settled down we were excellent.

“Galatasaray started so well, but we grew into the game and started to put them under pressure. I still think we can do better on the ball, but that’s me being really critical. I am disappointed with the goal because it was probably the only time we switched off.

“Reece [Devine] was superb tonight, though, and it was just one slip. The lads were tremendous tonight, the shift they put in was incredible. The workrate and energy levels were so good.”

In a team of heroes who performed superbly, once again Ali McCann was at the fulcrum of all that was good about Davidson’s side, probing and prodding from midfield as he built confidence in those around him.

“Ali was phenomenal,” Davidson said. “He was the one who led us, he drove forward, won the ball back and was all over the pitch.

“I could name so many of the players so it’s unfair to name people, but Ali was tremendous. You saw again tonight what a good player he is.”

On penalty hero Jason Kerr, who held his nerve as he stood waiting to take the spotkick, Davidson said: “That’s two out of two [penalties] for Jason now.

“I was a bit nervous when he stepped up to take it because we have missed the last two, but he was always confident and it was good to see it hit the back of the net.

“Chris Kane wanted to take it because he wasn’t on the pitch last weekend when we got one, but Jason wanted it.

“It’s great that we have people who want to take them in huge games like this and Jason deserved it after his performance.

“He’s come so far in the last few years so all credit to him.”