Honours Even – But Esentepe Must Thank Their Own “Onur”!

By Richard Beale….

A boring 0-0 draw it was not, with both sides creating chances especially in the second half, in the end Esentepe had to be grateful for a point and that was due to their giant Goalkeeper Onur making 3 fine saves in the final 10 minutes.

Result: ESENTEPE KKSK 0 İNCİRLİ SK 0

Saturday October 22, 2022: AKSA League 1: Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.

With the weather being mild and sunny the match attracted a large crowd with the visitors taking a good following with them.

Lowly Incirli who were hammered 0-7 at home by Karşıyaka last week, started as expectantly nervous as in the opening 30 minutes Esentepe played some good football, with good passing and running. In the second half it was a more even affair, but in the final 15 minutes Incirli growing in confidence were unlucky not to take all 3 points.

Esentepe Onur, confirmed that he is the best goalkeeper in this League and is being watched by Super League clubs made three fine saves to thwart the visitors.

Esentepe were forced into one change from last week’s win away to Maraş, with Mustafa Soytürk being suspended for 4 matches, following his dismissal for violent conduct. The experienced Mahmut replaced him at right back and was soon prominent with Kaan on the right flank which was the source of Esentepe’s earlier attacks.

Tuğra was also showing up well in midfield, working hard, winning tackles, from one of his interceptions in the 23rd minute he found Ege Can on the left but the forward shot across the goal.

Kaan found himself in a good scoring position in the 35th minute but miss hit his shot which was saved by the Incirli goalkeeper Ibrahim

Esentepe were playing some good football but their final ball was letting them down, Incirli were playing a 5-4-1 formation but this often led to their lone striker being isolated. Incirli midfield player Volkan was trying his utmost in midfield to win the battle and Captain Sezer at the back was organising his defence well. HALF TIME SCORE: 0-0

Esentepe made a tactical change during the break with Deniz Kibar, scorer of 2 goals last week replacing Ege Can.

The early part of the second half followed the same pattern as the first half with Esentepe on top, Deniz was prominent early on in the 58th minute through on goal but shot into the side netting but should have crossed to Kaan to tap the ball in.

 45 -60 minutes Esentepe were still on top with Incirli defending doggedly and offering little up front.

In a very rare Incirli attack Onur made a good save from Fatih.

The game had become very scrappy with Esentepe running out of ideas and lacking composure. Incirli sensing this began to think we could get all 3 points here, change formation and pushed men forward.

Following a mistake from Mahmut, in the 78th minute Altay should have given Incirli the lead but Onur was equal to the task making a good save.

It was end to end stuff now in the 80th minute following a good run by Deniz and a pass to Semih, the young centre forward volleyed over the bar.

Dursun Karal who is maturing with every game he plays, following a good run on the left set up a cross that was met with a diving header from Ilyas that was saved by goalkeeper Ibrahim.

85 minutes on and you were thinking a mistake from either side would lead to a goal, Esentepe were getting stretched at the back with the right flank looking particularly vulnerable.

88 minutes Eser wasted a great chance for Esentepe volley over the bar on the left when a little more composure was called for

.Incirli immediately counter attacked with Altay bearing down on goal with a one on one situation with Onur but the big Esentepe goalkeeper bravely dived at the feet of the visiting player.

Incirli were now putting Esentepe under severe pressure forcing a number of corners as Esentepe appeared to be hanging on.

5 minutes of injury time were being played with Esentepe penned in their own half but they nearly snatched it with the last kick of the match with young Dursun showing his inexperience in a breakaway shooting into the side netting, where with more composure, he should have passed to Deniz at the near post. FULL TIME SCORE: 0-0

SUMMING UP: A fair result in the end both sides had late chances but felled to take them. No lack of effort from Esentepe but credit must go to the visitors who following on from a hammering put in a very good shift themselves.

Esentepe definitely missed the pace and surging runs of right back Mustafa Soytürk but he has 3 more games to serve with suspension so they need to get used to it.

It says something when you name your team’s goalkeeper ONUR ÖZBİNGÜL as Man of the Match!

ESENTEPE TEAM: ONUR (gjk) ; Mahmut (Nersin 90), Şenol ©, Devran, Dursun : Kaan ( Eser 67), Salih (Ilyas 78), Tuğra, Emre : Semih, Ege Can ( Deniz 46).

ESENTEPE REPLACEMENTS NOT USED : Tuğrul (gk) ; Okan, Şahin, Ismet, Emek, Mahmut Şen.

INCIRLI TEAM: Ibrahim (gk): Nasuh, Orhan, Sezer ©, Halit (Abdullah 54), Doğukan, Seyhan (Muhammed 65), Fatih, Tuğhan, Vedat (Altay 65), VOLKAN.

Yellow cards : Tuğra, Ilyas (Esentepe) ; Nasuh (incirli)

Referee: ZEKAİ TÖRE – had an excellent match.