By Richard Beale….
An evening that turned out to be a long steamy night, saw Kaplıca Karadeniz finally overcome Boğaziçi 6-4 on penalties in an exciting match in Famagusta and gain promotion to the BTM League 1.
Result: KAPLICA KARADENIZ 61 SK 1 SFC BOĞAZİÇİ SK 1 (after extra time, Kaplıca win 6-4 on penalties).
Sunday August 7: Iktisatbank BTM League 2 Play Out Final: Famagusta Dr Fazil Küçük Stadium.
Weather : Very warm and steamy.
Kaplıca after failing in 3 Play Off Finals made it 4th time lucky to join Pile and Mevlevi (whose matches also went to a penalty shootout) in next seasons BTM League 1.
To lose in a Play Off after normal time is cruel, (been there scene it many times with various clubs) to lose on penalties is heartbreaking, they are a lottery but someone has to win and someone has to lose.
One penalty separated these two evenly matched teams, Kaplıca had the best of the first half, Boğaziçi the best of the second half, extra time as normal was a waste of time. so it came down to a penalty shootout with Boğaziçi missing one and Kaplıca scoring all of their kicks.
The Dr Fazil Küçük Stadium was rocking, packed to the rafters, it has a capacity of 7000 I don’t know what the attendance was, it’s certainly the largest crowd I have witness at a local football match. Both sets of supporters decked the Stadium out with flags, balloons, scarves, and there was a terrific atmosphere with a DJ, drums, fireworks and flares.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
9 mins: Boğaziçi threatened first with their leading goals corer Abdurrahman Bengi setting up on a mazy run just inside his own half before firing in a low shot that went just pass the right hand post.
10 mins: Kaplıca replied immediately with Ogün crossing from the left finding Ahmet Can to shoot just wide.
12 mins: Ekrem Aktaş sent in a low cross that the Boğaziçi goalkeeper Murat bravely dived at the feet of Kaplıca forward Berkant.
17 mins: Abdurrahman Bengi was threatening again beating 2 players and sending in a shot that Kaplıca keeper Alihan dived to his right, pushing the ball away for a corner.
19 mins: Murat punched clear a free kick to Berkant lurking on the edge of the area but the Kaplıca leading goal scorer sent in a shot just over the bar, as Kaplıca continued to have the better of the first half.
33 mins: An incredible save from Boğaziçi goalkeeper Murat flinging himself to his right to push over a close range effort from Ekrem Aktaş kept his side in the match.
Kaplıca could not believe that their dominance had not resulted in a goal. HALF TIME SCORE: 0-0.
48 mins: Boğaziçi took the lead when following a low cross from the right Rasim bundled over Abdurrahman in the box and Captain ERTAN BULUT sent Alihan the wrong way with the resultant penalty. 0-1
55 mins: Kaplıca hit back with Ahmet Can sending in a hard shot that Murat parried over for a corner.
58 mins: Boğaziçi missed a glorious chance to increase their lead when good work on the right by Abdurrahman found Ertan Bulut at the far post but his low shot was saved by the diving Alihan.
Kaplıca had lost their way, they were looking tired and had run out of ideals, Osman, Ümit and Ertan were gaining the upper hand in midfield. Boğaziçi defenders Tanju and Üner were keeping Kaplıca 
striker Berkant under close attention.
Kaplıca Captain Ogün Dursun was trying his best to urge his team on aided by defender Ekrem Çakiral who was still full of running on the left flank.
80 mins: The lifeline that Kaplıca had been seeking came when Ramazan brought down EKREM AKTAŞ in the box. The Kaplıca player promptly picked himself up and sent Murat the wrong way with his penalty.
FULL TIME SCORE : 1-1
EXTRA TIME: Both sides have “slugged” themselves to virtually a standstill, like most extra times there were very few goal opportunities though Boğaziçi had two chances to score.
92 mins: Free kick from Ümit was missed by Abdurrahman who just needed to get a touch on it to divert the ball into the net.
104 mins: An Ümit cross was headed over by Ertan Bulut from a great position.
PENALTY SHOOT-OUT:
EKREM ÇAKIRAL, EKREM AKTAŞ, OGÜN, İSMAİL, UĞUR and finally BERKANT scoring for Kaplıca.
ERTAN, TANJU, İBRAHİM and BATUHAN scoring for Boğaziçi, with the unfortunate Abdurrahman Bengi having his penalty saved by Alihan.
Wild celebrations, tears, laughter were a plenty as the Kaplıca supporters came on to the pitch to join their team.
For Boğaziçi 1200 minutes of football, with nothing to show for it at the end except heartache, pain and tears, there were plenty of them, their season over for another year.
