By Richard Beale …..
The harsh realities of surviving in the Super League were brought home to Esentepe as they were given a severe lesson of life in the top division by a very impressive Dogan Turk Birliği team.
Result : ESENTEPE KKSK 0 DOĞAN TÜRK BİRLİĞİ SK 5
Sunday October 21, 2018 : K-Pet Super League : Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
We knew it would never be easy for Esentepe this season, to stay in this League to be honest they will require a miracle, but after 4 matches the team have a had a reasonable start to the season.
However, on Sunday they came across a team that has spent most of his existence in the top League and the experience they have gained in achieving that was all too evident to see, as Esentepe were put to the sword.
Doğan Türk Birliği (DTB) were superior in all departments, they were stronger, faster and more skilful, as Esentepe were given a masterclass lesson by the Girne team.
Effort was there for Esentepe as there always is but it was at times “boys against men’ as the visitors controlled the game from start to finish.
Esentepe KKSK v Doğan Türk Birliği SK
Esentepe’s cause was not helped when they had central defender Zady Moses sent off in the 73rd minute for an alleged elbow offence, but by that time DTB were already 4-0 up.
DTB took the lead in the 15th minute through a present from Esentepe goalkeeper Ali, who was undecided whether to clear or gather a back pass from Salih. The keeper hesitated and Kenan stole the ball from him, squared it across to BURAK KÖMÜRCÜ to finish. 0-1
Esentepe’s only two chances of the match came in the first half, firstly in the 37th minute after a patient build up Kaan brought a diving fingertip save from the DTB goalkeeper Dursun with a shot from just outside the area.
Their best chance came in the 45th minute following a quick break on the right, where Ahmet with a good ball put striker Odi clean through, but with only the keeper to beat he blazed wildly over the bar.
Esentepe were severely punished for that miss, when from the resulting goal kick DTB broke quickly down the left through Kenan, he passed to IBRAHIM ÇIDAMLI who skipped past Muhammed’s challenge to finish clinically with a rising shot past Ali. HALF TIME SCORE : 0-2
Esentepe replaced Muhammed at the break with striker Mahmut Amasyalı who surprisingly operated at left back. Any hope of Esentepe coming back into the match were vanished when DTB delivered two fatal blows within 3 minutes of the restart.
46 mins : Aydin from the left delivered a beautiful cross where it was met at the near post by KENAN OSHAN who powerfully headed past Ali, watched by the Esentepe defence who offered no challenge. 0-3
49 mins : Another cross from the left was met at the near post by Ahmet Burak who missed it, but KENAN OSHAN backing up his colleague did not, to score his second goal, with the Esentepe defence again rooted to the spot. 0-4
DTB by this time were comfortable, they eased off the pedal but still were too good for a pedestrian Esentepe side who were bereft of any ideals.
73 minutes Esentepe lost Moses, red carded and DTB continued to dominate and scored their fifth and best goal of the match in the 82nd minute.
Again the danger came from the left hand side, where a cross was beautifully laid off by Kenan direct into the path of SERHAN ÖNET who had time to pick his spot and shot past Ali from outside the box. 0-5
DTB still came searching for more goals and goalkeeper Ali made a couple of telling saves, before he was beaten by a fiercely struck shot from Ibrahim in the 85th minute which crashed off his crossbar. FULL TIME SCORE : 0-5
SUMMING UP : Sometimes you just have to acknowledge and applaud the opposition who were superior in all departments, handing out a severe lesson on what is required to survive in this League.
Esentepe must give 125% to compete in this League, too many players were below that standard on Sunday. Esentepe must pick themselves up and dust themselves down as they travel to Güzelyurt on Sunday to face second place Baf Ülkü Yurdu, nothing is easy in this League.
I thought UĞURCAN was Esentepe’s best player, and Kaan in the first half worked well with him.
For DTB they had many outstanding players, Ibrahim, Aydin, Ahmet but KENAN OSHAN for them was awesome, scoring twice and involved in other goals..
Welcome back to Graham Procter-Brown who brings us video highlights of this match
