By Richard Beale ….
Esentepe sit proudly on top of the AKSA A2 League after a hard fought win over Çanakkale youngsters.
Details: ESENTEPE U20 3 ÇANAKKALE TSK U20 0
Sunday October 17: AKSA A2 League 1: Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
Esentepe maintain their unbeaten start to the season, consolidating their top of the league position with a record of Played 5 Won 5, goals scored 14, goals against 0, yes 5 matches 450 minutes without conceding a goal.
Victorious Esentepe Under 20 team celebrate their win.
This win was more satisfying as they were without a number of players due to first team call ups, injuries and Covid quarantining – even their Coach Gokhan Kim is at home self isolating.
Çanakkale before this match were themselves unbeaten lying in 3rd place, compared to Esentepe’s team of mostly “little un’s” they were physically stronger, taller – in Famağusta they must have 3 Shredded Wheat for their breakfast!. I feared for Esentepe that physically they wouldn’t be able compete but i needed not to have worried as the “little uns” with team spirit and confidence overcame the “big un’s”.
Esentepe took the lead in the 27th minute following a cross from the left by Dursun Alı which was prodded in at the far post by DİNÇER KARAL. 1-0.
Çannakkale Captain Özgur Demir was trying by example to get his team back into the game Sayipcan had a shot from outside the box tipped over by Esentepe goalkeeper Uluş. HALF TIME SCORE : 1-0.
Çanakkale at the break brought on two more giants Kaya and Yıldıray, the match was very competitive with some strong challenges going in but it was played in good spirit by both teams. Esentepe lost midfielder İsmet through injury and then in the 60th minute there was a fearsome clash of heads between Esentepe Captain Halit and Çanakkale Salih. Both players received cuts to their heads with Halit coming off the worse after lengthy treatment he was eventually carried off on a stretcher and then on to Hospital.
Esentepe’s MUSTAFA SOYTÜRK one of the few players who could compete with Çanakkale physicality was having a fine match and was a great inspiration to his team.
He capped an outstanding display with a fine individual goal in the 86th minute, exchanging passes with Gökdeniz before embarking on a mazy run into the Çanakkale goal area, drew the goalkeeper out and finished with aplomb. 2-0
In injury time another fine individual goal was converted by substitute ŞAHIN ERDOĞAN cutting in from the right hand touchline and again finishing well. 3-0.
An outstanding performance by Esentepe who overcame difficult opposition, Gökdeniz in midfield had a fine match as did at left back Mehmet Ada Arkan, small in stature he defended very well putting in some good tackles.
MAN OF THE MATCH – MUSTAFA SOYTÜRK – should be knocking on the door of the first team with this performance.
