By Richard Beale….
Before the main event the Under 21 team won their match and of course afterwards the first team won to complete a double and make Esentepe a very happy village last weekend.
Results: ESENTEPE KKSK U21 2 SFC DÖRTYOL U21 0.
Saturday, February 19: AKSA U21 League 1; Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
Two very similar teams, 2 football-crazy villages, 2 clubs that have excellent football Academies, 2 teams that have superb youth coaches (Gökhan Kim, Esentepe and Süleyman Özkoç, Dörtyol), there had to be a winner and it turned out to be Esentepe.
Esentepe have impressed this season, always being in the top 4 and they continued on their winning ways with a hard-fought victory over Dörtyol.
Esentepe have suffered in recent weeks with first team call ups, injuries, suspensions, Covid and unavailability but for this match they were able to field a much stronger team.
It certainly paid off upfront they had two physical strikers in Captain Şahin Erdoğan and Boğaçhan Ayar. In midfield Mahmut Şen was everywhere backed up by the two Karal’s Dincer and Dursun Ali. In defence after injury, Halit Çulçu and Hüseyin Akcal provided strong defensive cover.
Esentepe took the lead in the 60th minute following an Ahmet Gök free kick from the left that was superbly headed in at the far post by BOĞAÇHAN AYAR.
Esentepe wrapped up the game in the 68th minute with a penalty from DURSUN ALI KARAL, his 12th goal of the season after Mehmet Ada was upended in the box by Arda.
To complete a miserable afternoon for the Dörtyol youngsters Onur was red-carded in the 85th minute after collecting 2 yellow cards.
MAN OF THE MATCH —-MEHMET ŞEN (Esentepe) – an unsung hero, has a good motor on him was everywhere in defence, attach and midfield.
