Binatlı relegated from Super League
BINATLI’S seven-year stay in the top flight of Turkish Cypriot football was brought to an end by a 3-1 defeat against Gönyeli last Friday night, which rendered it mathematically impossible for them to catch Baf Ülkü Yurdu in 14th place.
The side from Güzelyurt had established themselves as regulars in the top half of the Aksa Super League, finishing as high as third in 2016 and fourth two years later, but a season to forget this time around has seen them concede 71 goals, with particularly bad away form — 14 defeats from 15 games on the road — seeing them surrender their place at the top table.
Their 14th and final away defeat of the season came away at Gönyeli. The home side took the lead in just the second minute when Ahmet Can Temel latched onto a ball over the top of Binatlı’s defence before playing the ball square to Sampson Agoha, who toe punted the ball into the bottom corner of the net. They were two goals to the good inside 25 minutes when Binatlı goalkeeper Yunus Yeşilırmak could only palm Şükrü Hilmi Erdoğan’s shot into the path of Sampson Agoha, who scored his and Gönyeli’s second from close range.
Not content with providing an assist, Erdoğan won the ball back straight from the restart, shrugging off the advances of three Binatlı defenders before slotting the ball past Yeşilırmak to add a third to Gönyeli’s tally. Binatlı reduced the arrears just two minutes later, however, when Mehmet Neşe caught Gönyeli’s Kahraman Dönmez being too casual in possession, and found the bottom corner with his shot.
Sampson Agoha, after having scored twice in a game that meant nothing to his side, received his third red card in just 11 league games for Gönyeli for an off-the-ball incident in first half stoppage time.
Kağan Görneçli thought he had scored a fourth for Gönyeli in the closing stages but had his effort ruled out for offside, but Binatlı’s fate had long since been sealed.
Binatlı’s defeat meant that Baf Ülkü Yurdu (BÜY)’s relegation play-off place was secured before they had even kicked a ball on Saturday, but their work will be cut out in the post-season after they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at home against Lefke.
The game started at an irresistible pace, with chances created at both ends in the opening stages, but the first goal was a goal of the season contender from Kasım Tağman, who curled the ball into the top corner from 25 yards after 19 minutes.
From there, Lefke took control of the game, penning BÜY into their own half for much of the rest of the afternoon, with a series of saves from BÜY goalkeeper Erdoğan Nay keeping his side in the contest. Lefke got their second goal on 82 minutes when a quickly taken free kick caught the home side napping, allowing Mustafa Tahsiduroğulları to pick a cross, which was cleared by BÜY’s Ekrem Madenci, but only as far as Semih Unaldı, who stroked the ball into the corner with the inside of his right foot from the edge of the box. BÜY’s Osita Obiekwe had a late goal ruled out for offside, but the score remained 2-0.
Champions Mağusa Türk Gücü (MTG) fielded a youthful team away at Hamitköy on Saturday, with five of the starting 11 being under the age of 21. They overcame their hosts 2-0, however, being given a helping hand as Hamitköy’s Daniel Cyrus Kalu headed into his own net to open the scoring after 18 minutes.
The young side were made to work for their victory, with Hamitköy creating multiple chances, but the points were secured late on when 20-year-old Barış Dolu latched onto a long ball to score his first Super League goal.
The season is set to go on past the Super League’s 30th game week for both sides, with MTG looking forward to the Cyprus Cup final, and Hamitköy bracing themselves for the relegation play-offs.
Mesarya edged past Merit Alsancak Yeşilova (MAY) 32 away in an entertaining game last Friday night. The visitors were awarded an early penalty when Remzi Betmezoğlu was brought down by Mejdi Direniş, and Betmezoğlu sent goalkeeper Kemal Molla the wrong way to open the scoring. Mesarya’s second penalty of the day was less cut and dry, with Ertaç
Taşkıran going down under the challenge of Mustafa Salk, but the referee pointed to the spot regardless.
MAY’s misery was compounded when Eyüp Öztep was sent off for grabbing the referee’s arm in his protests, before Ömer Engin Gül was given a yellow card for drop kicking the ball up the park after Öztep had kicked it into the net out of frustration.
Confusion reigned as Öztep refused to leave the field for five minutes after being sent off, before MAY seemingly threatened to walk off when half the team made its way towards the tunnel. Order was eventually restored, and Remzi Betmezoğlu converted his second penalty of the day.
MAY found a route back into the game when Mejdi Direniş reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box from a Bill Osman Beyza free kick and halved the deficit, but a deflected effort from Remzi
Betmezoğlu at the other end two minutes later put his side back in the driving seat, and completed his hat trick. MAY’s Chibuzor Nwogbo set up a nervy finish with a late goal, but Mesarya held on to take all three points.
Saturday was derby day in Girne, with Doğan Türk Birliği (DTB) facing off against Türk Ocağı. DTB nearly took an early lead through a spectacular long-range half volley from Çağrı Kıral which cannoned off the crossbar, and eventually got themselves in front after 23 minutes when Türk Ocağı’s defence failed to clear an Aydın Aygın cross, allowing Tansel Ekingen to pop up at the back post and blast the ball past Türk Ocağı goalkeeper Hüseyin Erkan Tutuş.
They added a second just two minutes later when a well-worked attacking move was finished off by Billy Michael from close range. Ekingen thought he had put his side three goals ahead when he fired home a rebounded shot from Halil Turan, but was ruled to have been in an offside position.
Türk Ocağı had the better of the second half chances, but were kept at bay by DTB goalkeeper Dursun Cem Ateş. Türk Ocağı eventually found their way through, with a series of intricate passing combinations setting up Cevdet Gürsel Alıcı to reduce the deficit in stoppage time, but they ran out of time to hunt for an equaliser, and the game finished 2-1.
DTB have the Cyprus Cup final to look forward to, while Türk Ocağı will play in the relegation play-offs unless they beat Lefke tomorrow and both Küçük Kaymaklı and Göçmenköy fail to win today, or, if Türk Ocağı draw tomorrow after Göçmenköy lose by six goals and Küçük Kaymaklı lose by 14 goals.
Yonpaş Dumlupınar and Küçük Kaymaklı played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday. Oladimeji Adewole gave Yonpaş Dumlupınar an early lead, firing home from the edge of the box after just seven minutes, but were pegged back after 53 minutes, when Çağlar Toklu split Yonpaş Dumlupınar’s defence with a deft chipped pass, which was met by Sertan Kırman who slid in to set up an open goal for Yankı Aktül, who made no mistake from close range.
Both sides had chances to win the game, but it finished with the spoils shared. Küçük Kaymaklı will avoid the relegation play-offs if they match Göçmenköy’s result today while losing by fewer than 14 goals at home against Merit Alsancak Yeşilova, unless Göçmenköy better their score by nine goals, provided that Türk Ocağı do not win tomorrow.
If Küçük Kaymaklı fail to win today and Türk Ocağı win tomorrow, Küçük Kaymaklı will play in the relegation play-offs.
Yenicami thumped Göçmenköy 4-1 away from home last Friday night, despite falling behind to a superb lobbed finish from Arda Sözcü on the half-hour mark.
Yenicami equalised on 39 minutes when Fırat Ersalan cut the ball back from the byline to Selim Saygı, who side-footed the ball into the roof of the net. Ersalan was on hand to assist the second just two minutes later, beating two players in another run to the byline, this time setting up Drissa Keita to score from the edge of the six yard box.
Yenicami’s third goal was simply sublime. On the counter attack, Hascan Kırmaz passed the ball to Drissa Keita who nonchalantly chipped the ball over Göçmenköy’s defence and into the path of Koray Hasan Özteknik, who first-time volleyed the ball across goal towards Fırat Ersalan, who was waiting on the edge of the box to volley the ball goalwards, receiving a round of applause from the home fans. Ersalan added his second and Yenicami’s fourth, sending a clear message for next season. For Göçmenköy, however, the season will continue after this week with a relegation play-off unless they better Küçük Kaymaklı’s result or better their score by nine goals today away at Mağusa Türk Gücü, provided that Türk Ocağı do not win tomorrow.
If Göçmenköy fail to win today and Türk Ocağı win tomorrow, Göçmenköy will play in the relegation play-offs.
Cihangir beat alreadyrelegated Girne Halk Evi (GHE) 2-1 at home last Friday night. Taner Bingöllü scored a spectacular bicycle kick to open the scoring for the home side five minutes before half time, and a close-range effort from Muhittin Tümbül on 75 minutes doubled their lead.
Samet Akrep drove through Cihangir’s defence to score a consolation for GHE three minutes later, but Cihangir held on to take the points. GHE go into today’s game against Hamitköy still looking for their first home league win of the season.
LOWER LEAGUES
There was high drama before a ball had been kicked in game week 29 of the Aksa 1st League, with news breaking that Bostancı Bağcıl had
been disqualified from the season for fielding ineligible players.
As a result of the ruling, all of Bostancı Bağcıl’s 30 league games were declared 3-0 defeats, and points were redistributed accordingly.
This caused controversy, as the league’s top two sides, Çetinkaya and China Bazaar Gençlik Gücü, had both drawn against Bostancı Bağcıl, and were therefore awarded two extra points each as a result of Bostancı Bağcıl’s disqualification, seeing the former win the league, and the latter promoted, with third-placed Miracle Değirmenlik now unable to catch them.
The decision was protested just as vehemently at the bottom of the league, too, as lastplaced Görneç leapfrogged Çanakkale into the last relegation play-off spot, having gained six points after being beaten twice by Bostancı Bağcıl.
The protest against the decision was successful, however, and while Bostancı Bağcıl’s results were expunged, the league’s 15 remaining teams did not gain or lose points from the disqualification.
League leaders Çetinkaya were due to play Bostancı Bağcıl on Saturday, and won the league from the comfort of their own homes knowing that a walkover “victory” on the day would be enough to secure the title.
China Bazaar Gençlik Gücü ensured their own return back to the Aksa Super League by beating Yalova 2-0, ending their one-season visit to the second tier with promotion.
Miracle Değirmenlik, Larnaka Gençler Birliği, and Karşıyaka have all secured their places in the post-season promotion play-offs.
A draw away at Maraş today should be enough for Southern Fried Chicken Dörtyol to join them, but if Esentepe can beat Yeniboğaziçi by nine, they will take the last play-off spot.
Esentepe will also take the final spot if they win and Southern Fried Chicken Dörtyol lose, with a win for Southern Fried Chicken Dörtyol being enough to qualify, regardless of Esentepe’s result.
At the other end of the table, Maraş, Yalova, and İncirli are all already assured of their place in the relegation play-off.
The final spot is contested between Çanakkale and Görneç, with Görneç needing to beat Yalova tomorrow, and hope that Çanakkale lose to İncirli with a 14goal swing, if they are to avoid being relegated to the İktisatbank BTM 1st League automatically alongside the disqualified Bostancı Bağcıl.