My trusty left foot EMEK scores from the penalty spot 3-0
By Richard Beale….
Bottom club Baf Ülkü Yurdu from Güzelyurt are still in last place in the League and were lucky to come away with only a 3-0 defeat, the road home for them tonight will have felt even longer.
Result: ESENTEPE KKSK 3 BAF ÜLKÜ YURDU 0
Sunday November 5 , 2023 : AKSA League 1: Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
Weather: Warm and sunny.
Unbeaten Esentepe remain in 3rd place in the League after an easy victory over BUY, if it wasn’t for the oppositions goalkeeper Ali Kurt then the score would have been 6-0.
The unseasonably warm weather attracted a large crowd, with quite a few making the journey from Güzelyurt also another good turnout from the ex-pat community, with some wearing Esentepe replica shirts which were on sale in the ground.
Esentepe has suffered injuries this week with Semih Arslan (wrist), Emre Mutlu ( an re-occurrence of an old injury), and more importantly goalkeeper Ahmet Vatanseven with a knee injury. With his replacement Osman Erdoğan quitting football a month ago, this only left the Under 21 goalkeeper 15 year old Ca Beyazgül, rather than risking damaging the confidence of the young goalkeeper Esentepe turned to the retired Onur Özinbingül, who quit football because of work commitments and injuries playing his last match for Esentepe coincidently on Sunday, November 5th, 2022 !. Onur who has not trained understandably looked a bit stiff in his movements but luckily for him apart from a few crosses he was not troubled by the goal-shy BUY attack.
Deniz Kıbar returned from suspension to replace Semih, 16-year-old Mehmet Ada Arıkan replaced Emre, and Devran Güneş recovering from injury was preferred to Mahmut.
Esentepe lined up in a 4-4-2 formation and took the lead in the 7th minute a goal that had a stroke of luck about. Mehmet Ada in oceans of space tried his luck with shot that deflected off a BUY defender to the lurking DENİZ KIBAR who turned and beat goalkeeper Ali to open his account for the season. BUY players and supporters complained that Deniz was in an offside position but the officials were unmoved and the goal stood. 1-0
Esentepe in the first 15 minutes meant business with BUY chasing shadows offering little threat.
18 minutes an Emek out swinging corner saw central defender Oğuz get his head to the ball forcing Ali to tip the ball over for a corner.
Emek Esentepe veteran left back was very prominent offering himself on the left flank.
24th minutes Ali pulled off a double save from Ege Can at his near post after Salih had put through the Esentepe forward.
25 minutes a good sweeping Esentepe move down the right-hand side ended with Deniz blazing over the bar.
Opening 30 minutes Esentepe is very much on top, playing some good football, BUY look what they are a team struggling for confidence and lacking any threat in attack.
Mehmet Ada was relishing the injured Emre role growing into the game and showing some nice touches all over the park. Oğuz at centre back was looking very solid and forming an impregnable partnership with Nersin.
32 minutes, Deniz was brought down just outside the box, “trusty left foot” Emek sent his free kick just over the bar.
Esentepe dominated the first half finishing it strongly but still had only one goal to show for their efforts.
Goalkeeper Ali produced a string of fine saves and there were a few missed opportunities Esentepe as a team were playing well, BUY were poor surely they would improve.
HALF TIME: 1-0
A very rare chance for BUY at the start of the second half and a warning to Esentepe as Mustafa Cağlar should have equalised put through on goal he lobbed his shot wide.
48 minutes another goal for Esentepe and what a great goal it was, Yusuf on left evading two players, put through the perfect pass into the path of DENİZ KIBAR to run onto to make it 2-0.
Yusuf set up Deniz again who sent in a rasping drive bringing another good diving save from Ali.
55 minutes Deniz was brought down in the box by goalkeeper Ali resulting in the reliable EMEK KIRLIMAZ stroking away the penalty. 3-0.
Esentepe with the game won sensibly started making changes, replacing players that had been previously booked.
16-year-old midfielder Dinçer Karal, the next future star on the Esentepe conveyor belt replaced his elder brother Salih, only 18 himself in the 70th minute.
Yusuf who deserved a goal for his hard work, blasted over the bar from a good position after good work from Ali and Dinçer.
72minutes Deniz was put through again but was foiled by another great save from Ali.
In the 80th minute, Esentepe made another substitution, and what a popular decision it was with Burak Tümkan (Pancho) replacing Yusuf. Pancho it seems has spent most of his footballing career injured especially in the last 5 years, he has made more comebacks than Frank Sinatra, he is retired a few times but he keeps coming back. He wants to play football, and play in an Esentepe shirt again and it was so great to see him back in action again.
87 minutes Deniz almost completed his hat trick chasing down a long ball he lobbed the advancing goalkeeper from 35 yards but his effort went just wide.
FULL-TIME SCORE ; 3-0
SUMMING UP: A relaxed and easy win over poor opposition, they may be bottom of the table but they still have to be beaten. BUY are a very young team average age 21, they are missing the “older hands” of like the Emek’s, Nersins’s, and Okan’s to steady the ship. Many good performances for Esentepe, Yusuf, Oğuz, and Emek in particular. I thought my Esentepe “Man of the Match” was the youngster MEHMET ADA ARIKAN, he was so good we did not really miss Emre !.
ESENTEPE TEAM : Onur (gk) ; Devran (Mahmut 59), Oğuz, Nersin (c), Emek (Okan 80) : Tuğra, MEHMET ADA, Salih (Dinçer 70), Ege Can (Ali 59) ; Deniz, Yusuf (Burak 80).
Esentepe replacements not used: Can (gk), İlyas, Şahin, Gökdeniz, Dursun Ali.
BAF ULKU YURDU TEAM : ALI (gk) ; Yankı, Muhammed, Aytan, Ahmet (Uner 46), Osman (Azat 46), Yusuf, Ali Kerim, Mustafa Gardıyanoğlu, Mustafa Çağlar (Mehmet Sancak), Rıdvan (Marıos 70)
Yellow cards: Devran, Salih, Ege Can (Esentepe)
Referee: Evren Karademir – excellent.
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