Antalyaspor 1 - 1 FT Kayserispor

Dzhikiya's Lead Crumbles: Benes Rescues Kayserispor in Final Breath

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 55/100. A defensive masterclass undone by a substitute's late strike—this is the story of how balance shifts in the Süper Lig's unforgiving arena.

Control Without Conviction

Antalyaspor dominated possession with 53% of the ball and 13 shots, but it was Georgiy Dzhikiya who broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute with a towering header, expertly set up by R. Safuri. The home side looked assured, their 83% pass accuracy and defensive discipline suggesting they had earned their lead. Yet Kayserispor refused to wilt. Despite committing 18 fouls and trailing in most statistical categories, the visitors matched their hosts' intensity with 14 shots of their own. Fourteen corners created relentless pressure; the balance of the match remained precarious.

The Substitute's Salvation

Enter N. Korkmaz. Introduced in the 79th minute, the substitute immediately altered Kayserispor's attacking geometry. When the clock struck 90, László Benes pounced on Korkmaz's assist to level the score—a dramatic equalizer that snatched two points from Antalya's grasp. The lead had changed hands twice; the match's upset factor proved real. Antalya's 10-corner advantage and superior possession meant little when Benes' late intervention arrived.

The Data Tells a Deeper Story

Hasan Yakub İlçin marshalled Antalya's midfield with composure, yet Kayserispor's 0.84 expected goals—higher than Antalya's 0.63—revealed a team that created danger despite their defensive struggles. With 27 combined shots and 10 on target, this was a match where intensity defined the narrative more than tactical superiority. Antalya's 7th-place position offered little comfort; Kayserispor's 15th-place standing suddenly felt less damning.

Antalyaspor and Kayserispor chase early-season Balance

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 30/100. Two sides stuck in the league’s middle lane collide in Antalya, hunting points and belief before the season’s rhythm fully settles.

The Setup

On 20 September 2025, Antalyaspor welcome Kayserispor to the stadium in Süper Lig’s regular season, Round 6. It is not a title decider, but it is a quiet tone-setter for both campaigns.

Antalyaspor come in with an erratic record: 4 wins, 2 draws, 8 defeats and a shaky recent Form line of LDLWL. Conceding 25 goals in 14 games underlines why they are hovering 13th instead of looking upwards. Kayserispor’s story is different but equally uneasy: just 2 wins in 15, a heavy goals-against column at 32, and 16th place despite seven draws keeping them in touch.

With 15 scored and 32 conceded for Kayserispor, 14 for and 25 against for Antalyaspor, this is not a fixture built on defensive control. The underlying numbers hint at a combined output around 2.5 goals per game; on paper this feels more like an open, chance-heavy league clash than a cagey stalemate.

Key Battle

The spotlight among the Stars is firmly on Güray Vural. Even from a tiny sample — 1 match, 1 goal, an 8.3 average rating — he looks like the player capable of tilting this game from Antalyaspor’s left side, attacking the channel and drifting inside.

For Kayserispor, Majid Hosseini anchors a back line that has suffered, but he brings aggression in duels and aerial strength. Güray’s movement into half-spaces against Hosseini’s timing in stepping out to engage is a direct duel that could dictate whether Antalyaspor’s pressure translates into clear chances or is smothered at source. In a match where overall defensive structures wobble, this individual confrontation becomes a rare source of Balance.

Our Prediction

Given both teams’ defensive records, expecting a low-event contest feels optimistic. Antalyaspor should see more of the ball at home, pushing full-backs on and loading wide areas to pin Kayserispor back. The visitors are more likely to sit compact, absorb pressure and look for fast breaks into the space Antalyaspor leave behind.

The script points towards waves of home pressure, spells where Kayserispor briefly threaten in transition, and long stretches decided by small details: a set-piece delivery, a misjudged clearance, a lapse in marking. Factoring in the home crowd and Antalyaspor’s slightly sharper attacking edge, we see them edging a chaotic but entertaining encounter. Prediction: Antalyaspor 2-1 Kayserispor.