By Richard Beale ……
Two opportunist goals from 19 year old ŞÜKRÜ HİLMİ ERDOĞAN gave Esentepe their first win of the season overcoming a stubborn Bostancı side in an absorbing encounter.
Result: BOSTANCI BAĞCIL SK 1 ESENTEPE KKSK 2.
Saturday September 25, 2021; AKSA League 1: Doğancı Emek Stadium.
Esentepe first visit to the Emek Stadium in Doğancı brought a double win for the village with the Under 21 team winning 1-0 as well.
On a glorious, warm afternoon the compact Stadium was packed with probably around 100 people crammed into its two stands – all very happy as they didn’t have to pay to get in!
Esentepe Coach Kılıç Ali Kahraman gave midfielder 17 year old Salıh Karal, who had impressed in the pre-season friendly matches, a first senior start.
I didn’t have time to gather my thoughts, as within the first 4 minutes of the match both sides had scored!
In Esentepe’s first attack after 2 minutes they raided down the left and a cross into the middle ended up in a melee in the goalmouth, one shot hit the bar, before it was finally smashed home by ŞÜKRÜ. 0-1.
ŞÜKRÜ ERDOĞAN leads the Esentepe goal celebrations.
Before you could draw breath from this explosive opening Bağcıl immediately retaliated after 4 minutes, with their first attack their burly forward SERKAN KARAOĞLAN was left all alone with the Esentepe defence missing to shoot past Onur. 1-1.
After this spectacular opening the game settled down with Bağcıl wrestling control of the midfield and keeping Esentepe pinned in their own half. The home side saw plenty of possession of the ball but rarely threatened the Esentepe goalkeeper Onur.
Bağcil giant of a centre back Azad Tay, aided by his equally tall ally Kemal Yilmazoğlu easily dealt with Esentepe’s sporadic attacks. HALF TIME : 1-1
Esentepe Coach Kılıç Ali obviously not happy with his team’s first half performance made two changes at the break withdrawing Salıh and Deniz and replacing them with Hüseyin Ermış and Kemal. This brought an improvement to Esentepe play as they tried to wrestle back the initiative.
However Esentepe were caught on the back foot in the 56th minute with a quick Bağcıl break down the right by Cahit who got the better of Okan, before crossing to the far post to an unmarked Ilksen who shot into the ground . The ball was instantly switched upfield where Ege fastened onto the ball and split the Bağcıl defence with a fine pass finding ŞÜKRÜ to run onto and score with a shot hit with venom into the corner of the net. 1-2
Esentepe were having a 10 minute purple patch and Şükrü should have completed his hat trick in the 60th minute when another great through ball from Ege gave the teenager a great scoring opportunity with only the goalkeeper to beat, but the Esentepe player scuffed his shot.
Esentepe lost defensive midfielder Tuğra, who had another impressive match, carried off on a stretcher in the 73rd minute.
Esentepe should have made the game safe in the 79th minute, following a Bağcıl corner. Esentepe broke at lightning pace led by Şükrü with Ege alongside him, Şükrü passed to Ege but again there was a scuffed shot and the opportunity was lost.
Bağcil piled forward in the final 10 minutes, putting the powerful Azat up front, forcing several corners but Esentepe defence remained firm and solid and once again Onur had little to worry about. FULL TIME : 1-2
SUMMING UP: A good hard battling performance by Esentepe with 3 hard earned points gained. A solid looking defence with Gürkan and Nersin outstanding was backed up by quick lightning breakaways led by Şükrü and Ege. Plan A in the first half was not working so Coach Ali reverted to Plan B which met with success.
