GENCLERBIRLIGI – ALMOST, BUT ......... NOT QUITE !!

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Gencler almost stole all 3 points in Manisa yesterday, but of course, almost means ............. not quite   !!     They were the more purposeful team in the 1^st half and were well worth their half time lead.

 

Manisa, on the other hand, seemed out of sorts and didn’t look like a team challenging for the play-off positions.    Manisa had several chances in the 1^st half, but their finishing was woeful and they couldn’t muster any shots on target.

 

Manisa            2                       GENCLERBIRLIGI           1

 

Team – Nurullah, Yasin, Thomas, Alperen, Muhammed, Abdullah, Khadfi, Bugra, Enes, Kaan and Souleymane

 

Substitutes – Erkan, Tiago, Ilker, Jaime and Sekou

 

There was only one moment worthy of mention in the 1^st half on the half hour mark when Gencler opened the scoring with a well crafted goal.    Yasin took a quick throw-in on the left to set-up an attack down the left wing.    The ball was passed into the box to Souleymane who cut the ball back for Muhammed to score with the goalkeeper having no chance.

 

The Manisa dressing room at half time must have been red-hot with the Coach breathing fire, and it obviously worked as the Manisa players came out showing more fighting spirit and resolve.

 

It only took one minute into the 2^nd half for the equaliser to come and it arose from a Gencler loose pass which was pounced upon by an attacker who drove forward,  cut the ball back for Ballou to stroke in via Nurullah’s body, and even the 2 defenders on the goal line couldn’t prevent the ball crossing the line.

 

Halfway through the 2^nd half and the Manisa goalkeeper made an outstanding save to prevent Gencler taking the lead again.      Yasin sent in a perfect cross for Souleymane to bullet in a goal bound header, but the goalkeeper was equal to it and tipped the ball over the bar for a corner.

 

Then 10 minutes from the final whistle, and undoubtedly the goal of the match, and possibly the weekend   !      Yasin committed a foul on the goal line just outside the box on the right.    Kaan stepped up and he curled his shot with his left boot directly into the top right with Nurullah well beaten.    A piece of pure skill by Kaan   !!

 

Gencler is now staring relegation in the face and will need to do something dramatic to climb out of the relegation zone before the run-in begins.

 

Their next match is away to 3^rd top of the league, Eyupspor, on Wednesday 12 April, and with Eyup in a fight alongside Rize, Sakarya and Pendik for the 2^nd spot in the league, they will not receive any favours from a fired-up Eyup team   !

 

As always, watch this space for the outcome.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim