THE GENCLERBIRLIGI EXPRESS RUNS OUT OF STEAM !!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

I was unable to watch the Gencler v Gaziantep match on 31 October which ended 1-1.  

 

Gaziantep took the lead in the 1^st half with a penalty and Gencler equalised just after the break   with a goal from the impressive Candeias.

 

Surprise ......surprise ...... Gencler had 5 shots on target which is a record for them this season   !!!

 

Interstingly, Stancu was on the bench but not used, so perhaps he was nursing an injury  ?!

 

Back to this week and Gencler started the match yesterday like an express train and were one up after only 40 Seconds  !!

 

Istanbul Basaksehir           2                  GENCLERBIRLIGI          1

 

Team – Nordfeldt, Johanssen, Toure, Diego, Polomat, Piris, Yildirim, Yilmaz, Ozdemir, Candeias and Ayite

 

Substitutes – Soner, Altinparmak and Arda

 

Gencler’s opening goal was one to savour and totally unexpected.    Gencler broke down the right.    The ball was passed 3 times from right to left with one of the passes being an exquisite back-heel which caught out the Basak rearguard.    Sefa Yilmaz was unmarked on the left and he shot to the top right well out of reach of the goalkeeper.

 

Basak was understandably shell shocked and almost conceded a 2^nd goal 18 minutes in when Yildirim’s shot hit the post and was cleared.

 

However, it didn’t take Basak long to respond.   4 minutes later a shot from just inside the box brushed the post and went out of play.      4 minutes later DemBa almost scored, but his goal bound shot was deflected by a defender for a corner.

 

Gencler had another chance to increased their lead near the end of the first half when Candeias was one on one with the goalkeeper, but he smothered the ball before Candeias could shoot.

 

Basak started the 2^nd half in more determined fashion and were unlucky not to equalise on 4 occasions.    Gencler had Nordfeldt to thank for 2 great saves which were all goal bound.   Basak also hit the post and had a shot which whizzed just past the post.

 

Then the game changer arrived half way through the 2^nd half when Johanssen received his marching-orders for a foot up tackle from behind on the back of the leg of a Basak player.   It was a needless tackle near the halfway line on the left which left the Basak player requiring lengthy treatment.

 

8 minutes later Basak finally found the equaliser as they increased the pressure on the over-worked Gencler defence.     Gulbrandsen had just come off the substitutes bench when a cross came in from the left and he rose unchallenged to head powerfully in with Nordfeldt well beaten.

 

The winning goal arrived in the 93^rd minute when Mehmet Topal, another substitute, powered in another header from yet another cross from the left.

 

It was rough on Gencler, but I suppose no more than Basak deserved after their 2^nd half domination of possession.

 

Next up is the home match against Fener......spit.....bahce on 22 November, so no respite for Gencler as they attempt to move out of the relegation zone.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim