Basaksehir knocked out of Cup by third-tier team

Istanbul Basaksehir have been knocked out of the Turkish Cup by third division outfit Kirklarelispor.

Kirklarelispor celebrated as if they won the Turkish Cup on Tuesday after they shocked their opponents Istanbul Basaksehir by eliminating them from the competition.

The third division football club drew 0-0 at their home stadium in Kirklareli on Tuesday but because of their 1-1 away draw in Istanbul last week in the first leg of the duel, the club are through to the Turkish Cup Quarter Finals for the first time in their history since being founded in 1968.

The referees whistle to call time on a nerve-wracking 90 minutes was welcomed by cheers, chants and dances all around the stadium.

The governor of Kirklareli, Osman Bilgin, and the club’s president Volkan Can, could not contain their emotions as they joined their heroes in the middle of the pitch to celebrate their historic achievement.

To reward the players for their hard work, Bilgin announced that all of Kirklarelispor’s players will receive a 10,000 Turkish Lira bonus — roughly €1,500.

To sweeten their victory, the city mayor, Mehmet siyam Kesimoglu, promised the club a field in the city for the construction of the club’s training facilities.

Istanbul Basaksehir, on the other hand, are left wondering how a squad where not a single player earns more than 100,000 TL per year, managed to knock them out when they have the likes of Demba Ba, Gael Clichy, Robinho, Gokhan Inler, Edin Visca and Elero Elia among their players.