League

İzmit İsmet Paşa
Spectators: 7713 (Terracing: 5786, Seating: 1774, VIP seats: 153) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Battal Gazi Olgunay started the match with the kick off. When the match had gone on for 4 minutes, Erim Sungurbay put it in 0-1 from a short distance just to the right of Okaner Taran. After 9 played minutes Niğdespor got a freekick which was hit by Serdar Ersavaş. Melih Cevdet Baltacı sent away a hard shot on goal in the 10th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 17th minute, Reis Yaren made a precise shot to the right of Okaner Taran. Kocaelispor's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-2. 19 minutes into the match, Reis Yaren notched a goal, 0-3, to the right of Kocaelispor's Okaner Taran. Okaner Taran was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. In the 23rd minute, Reis Yaren left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Niğdespor fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-4. After 25 played minutes Kocaelispor got a freekick which was hit by Şaban Akdeniz. 27 minutes into the game, Abdulmelik Özbir was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Niğdespor's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Kocaelispor the free kick. The supporters of Kocaelispor booed when Niğdespor was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 27 match minutes in a wonderful position. Abdulmelik Özbir didn't get a good kick on the ball. Reis Yaren recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 30th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. In the 36th minute, Nusret Bağcıoğlu got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Kocaelispor's Okaner Taran played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Erim Sungurbay in the 39th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Reis Yaren in the 45th minute of play forced Kocaelispor's goalkeeper Okaner Taran to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Abdulmelik Özbir was shown his second yellow card after 47 minutes, following a rather ugly tackle on opponent. That was the end of his participation in the match. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 0-4 lead.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Serdar Ersavaş was the one to do the kick off. With a little luck, Kocaelispor's Okaner Taran got control of the ball when Serdar Ersavaş tried to sneak it across the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Göktürk Özgiray in the 58th minute of play forced Kocaelispor's goalkeeper Okaner Taran to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Erim Sungurbay hit a great freekick 61 minutes into the match. 63 minutes into the match, Niğdespor's goal looked a bit too open when Battal Gazi Olgunay came free, but Özer Akartürk reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Serdar Ersavaşs short, quick shot in the 65thth minute got Okaner Taran to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. 69 minutes into the match, Kocaelispor's goalkeeper Okaner Taran had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Serdar Ersavaş. Okaner Taran made an important save on a dangerous shot by Serdar Ersavaş in the 81st minute. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Erim Sungurbay during the 82nd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Serdar Ersavaş sent away a hard shot on goal in the 86th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Okaner Taran made a fantastic save in the 89th minute, when Göktürk Özgiray sent off a good shot on target. Niğdespor played a much better game than Kocaelispor and deserved their victory. The Kocaelispor players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.