U18 World League

Jayden Arena
Spectators: 7500 (Terracing: 5626, Seating: 1725, VIP seats: 149) SK Gullegem's Rafael Gobeleyns started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Mustafa Namık Haymanalı hit a great freekick 2 minutes into the match. Evren Serkut made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Rafael Gobeleyns in the 3rd minute of play. Fadıl Ruçhan's late challenge caught a SK Gullegem's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Fadıl Ruçhan helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of SK Gullegem booed when LOTUS was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Fadıl Ruçhan didn't get a good kick on the ball. The crowd rose to their feet as Rafael Gobeleyns kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Evren Serkut. That made the score 1-0 in the 6 minute of play. Christopher Frans fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 9th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Evren Serkut having to interfere. In the 25th minute, Abdulkerim Kaçan left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The LOTUS fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-1. Evren Serkut came out of the goal in the 31st minute to try and stop a shot by SK Gullegem's Rafael Gobeleyns. But to his dismay, Rafael Gobeleyns quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 2-1. Balaban Yürük charged in rather forcefully in the 37th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Balaban Yürük the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of SK Gullegem booed when LOTUS was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 37 match minutes in a wonderful position. Balaban Yürük didn't get a good kick on the ball. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Christopher Frans during the 41st minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Christopher Frans hit a great freekick 41 minutes into the match. After a rather tough play, SK Gullegem's Wart Hollants got a free kick in the 44th minute. After having played for 45 minutes, Abdulkerim Kaçan managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. LOTUS's supporters crossed their fingers, but Abdulkerim Kaçan was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-1. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Baykan Yağıztekin made a kick off. Rafael Gobeleyns kicked well hit freekick during the 53rd minute of the match. Rafael Gobeleyns sent away a hard shot on goal in the 63rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Evren Serkut took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Christopher Frans, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 69th minute Christopher Frans shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Evren Serkut saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When Rafael Gobeleyns came up free with the goalie in the 72nd minute, the SK Gullegem fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Rafael Gobeleyns couldn't finish the play. In the 76th minute, LOTUS's Baykan Yağıztekin dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 2-2. In the 79th match minute, LOTUS was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Balaban Yürük to maneuver through the defense. Evren Serkut made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Sylvain Pauwels in the 80th minute of play. Fadıl Ruçhan kicked well hit freekick during the 82nd minute of the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Rafael Gobeleyns in the 83rd minute of play forced LOTUS's goalkeeper Evren Serkut to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Christopher Frans in the 85th minute of play forced LOTUS's goalkeeper Evren Serkut to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Christopher Frans struck a weak shot in the 87th minute. Evren Serkut didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for SK Gullegem. Sylvain Pauwels's late challenge caught a LOTUS's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Sylvain Pauwels helped the player get up and apologised. Sylvain Pauwels hit a great freekick 90 minutes into the match. Balaban Yürük fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 91st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jo van der Eycken having to interfere. LOTUS's Berker Rıza Alanson was substituted for Cafer Uğural. Evren Serkut showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Rafael Gobeleyns in the 94th minute of the match. LOTUS were clearly unhappy with the draw, as they felt they had done enough to earn themselves a victory.