MEHMET ÇAĞAKAN far right scores number 2
By Richard Beale….
7 matches, 630 minutes without a goal from open play, Esentepe miserable preseason continues with another defeat, this time by fellow League 1 rivals Yeniboğaziçi.
Result: ESENTEPE KKSK 0 YENİBOĞAZİÇİ DSK 2
Tuesday, August 30: Friendly Match: Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
Weather: Very warm and humid.
Ex Esentepe Coach Kılıç Ali Kahraman completed a pre-season double over a very disappointing Esentepe team, they previously won 4-0 in a match played at Yeniboğaziçi.
It could easily have been 4 or more goals again, a combination of some excellent saves by the Esentepe goalkeeper Onur, some good defensive blocks and some wayward finishing by the visitors kept the scoreline at 0-2.
Yes, they say friendly matches don’t matter, it’s all about getting minutes into the player’s legs but Esentepe are suffering badly in front of the goal. In their last friendly match, there were signs of “green shoots” and more positive play and also they hit the woodwork four times.
In this match however those “green shoots” appeared to have withered and died they rarely threatened the visitor’s goal.
WHAT HAS GONE WRONG? – They have lost their “star” player Hüseyin Deynekli, a lightning-fast striker who wanted Super League football and has been loaned to Miracle Değirmenlik. Hüseyin could fasten onto any through ball and with his speed outrun most defences. The ammunition for him was often provided by midfielder Ilyias Niyazi who unfortunately for Esentepe hasn’t featured at all in the preseason due to a serious injury.
Kaan, Esentepe’s only real creative player is being played on the right of midfield so goal chances are at a premium.
Being Esentepe there is probably no money in the bank to buy a forward and a creative midfield player, so with 3 friendly matches left before the season starts Coach Davut, Kansu has to play with the cards he has been dealt with.
The first half was a poor affair with both teams guilty of giving the ball away, with over hit, poor or wayward passing.
Yeniboğaziçi created what chances there were big centre back Ali Özay Çelik headed just wide from a corner, then on the stroke of half time Esentepe goalkeeper Onur made a brilliant save diving to his left to tip over a finely hit volley from Serhat.
HALF-TIME SCORE : 0-0
Yeniboğaziçi should have taken the lead in the 53rd minute when Onur did well to parry a shot at his near post the ball rebounded to Yıldıray with the goal at his mercy volleyed widely over the bar.
A rare Esentepe attack came in a breakaway in the 55th minute when Deniz fastened onto a long ball on the right the forward was pressured further right by a defender and the goalkeeper, so his wide angled shot went across goal.
It was Yeniboğaziçi centre back ALİ ÖZAY ÇELİK who gave them the lead in the 63rd minute picking up the ball just inside the Esentepe half, running on unchallenged, and beating Onur who was probably unsighted with a low shot to the goalkeepers left. 0-1
67 minutes the game was probably all over when a quick breakaway from an Esentepe corner down the left ended with a cross to the far post that was volleyed first time by MEHMET ÇAĞAKAN past Onur. 0-2.
Esentepe for the first time in the preseason matches looked downhearted, tired and clueless as they failed to trouble Remzi in the Yeniboğaziçi goal.
At the other end, Onur continued to defy the visitors making a couple of fine saves as the match drew to an end.
FULL-TIME SCORE: 0-2
SUMMING UP: “ It will be alright on the night” it better be !, Esentepe have 3 friendly matches left to lift themselves, it won’t be easy, 2 are against Super League teams and the other one against Girne Halk Eve, Esentepe first League opponents in the coming season.
Kılıç Ali Kahraman has assembled a very useful squad, they are strong defensively, have wide players, and proven goalscorer, they will be challenging for honours at the end of the season.
ESENTEPE TEAM First Half: ONUR (gk) : Mustafa, Nersin, Devran, Emek : Salih, Mahmut, Emre : Deniz, Semih, Dursun.
ESENTEPE TEAM Second half: ONUR (gk) : Mahmut (Mahmut Şen 71), Nersin (Okan 66), Devran (Şenol 66), Emek (Ismet 71): Salih, Emre, Tuğra : Kaan : Deniz (Ege 66), Eser (Şahın 71).
