By Richard Beale….
At long last football has returned from its long lay off laid low by the Coronavirus Pandemic. It might have been only a friendly match but it felt good to be out in the open air, especially with the stunning views that the Görneç Stadium offers. In June warm evening sunshine the match kicked off in front of around 30 spectators enough room for social distancing!
Friendly Match : GÖRNEÇ KSK 1 ESENTEPE KKSK 6
Sunday June 7, 2020 : Görneç Üç Şehitler Stadium.
Being a friendly match both sides made numerous changes in the second half, for Esentepe it was pleasing that players from the Under 21 team were introduced at regular intervals to gain experience and no way did that weaken the team.
Right from the kick off Esentepe controlled the match, Görneç the home team were not allowed to settle. Esentepe dominated the midfield with Vurkan, Emre Mutlu and the impressive Yakup Şen, overwhelming the Görneç midfield.
Esentepe “Man of the Match” YAKUP ŞEN on the ball
Both sides had early chances, for Esentepe Şükrü shot just wide of the Görneç right hand post and for Görneç their leading goalscorer Irfan saw a downward header bounce onto the Esentepe crossbar.
15 mins : Esentepe took the lead following a stunning move, Vurkan played a good ball to Mustafa Günlü on the left, who looked up, and sent over a beautiful cross that was swept home by HÜRKAN GÖRNEÇLİ. 0-1
23 mins: A second Esentepe goal following a Yakup free kick on the left, the Görneç defence failed to react and ŞÜKRÜ ERDOĞAN sent a glancing header past goalkeeper Ferhat. 0-2
31 mins : Görneç pulled a goal back when the ball was threaded through to IRFAN BOŞNAK to slot past Görkem. 1-2
39 mins : Irfan should have equalised for Görneç, when following a Hasan cross, he unfortunately got his feet tangled up and the chance went begging.
HALF TIME SCORE : 1-2
Esentepe continued to have control of the opening exchanges, Görneç were disappointing, especially with their final ball delivery.
68 mins : A bouncing ball over the Görneç defence saw 16 year old “whippersnapper” of a lad HÜSEYIN DEYNEKLİ head past replacement goalkeeper Hasan. 1-3
75 mins : A superb through ball by Yakup found ŞÜKRÜ on the right, a defender and the goalkeeper forced the youngster even further right but he still managed to score from an acute angle 1-4
81 mins :Görneç were all at sea now as more members of the Under 21 team were introduced and it was fitting that one of them DEVRAN ALİ GÜNES should score on his senior debut robbing a Görneç defender and powering on to score. 1-5
86 mins ; HÜSEYiN DEYNEKLİ completed the rout with a well taken goal on the right with a shot on the turn, beating Hasan with a low drive at his left hand post.
FULL TIME SCORE: 1-6
All smiles as football is back and Esentepe players celebrate another goal.
SUMMING UP: Pleasing to be back at football, more so after watching this Esentepe performance. Yes, it was only a friendly the score doesn’t matter but what matters was how the team went about their business, a very competent performance all round. This is also a very young Esentepe team, take a look at their goalscorers ages – two players 16 years old, one 17 year old and the “veteran” Hürkan the ripe old age of 21! The future looks bright.
MAN OF THE MATCH : YAKUP ŞEN
ESENTEPE NEXT “FRIENDLY” MATCH : Saturday June 13, kick off 6-00pm, at Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
ESENTEPE v L. GENÇLER BİRLİGİ (admission FREE)
