VAR's Shadow Falls on Istanbul: Başakşehir and Kayserispor Share the Spoils

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 32/100. A match defined by VAR intervention and lead changes, where Başakşehir's dominance was ultimately undone by the technology that denied them a second goal, leaving both sides with equal claim to a point.

Brnic Strikes First as the Hosts Command

Ivan Brnic broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, receiving a crisp assist from O. Ergun to give Başakşehir the platform their intensity deserved. The hosts controlled the tempo with 57% possession and 13 shots, dictating play with surgical passing (87% accuracy across 481 attempts). Yet the second half would strip away that comfort in brutal fashion.

VAR Strips Away Başakşehir's Victory: Opoku's Goal Disallowed

In the 62nd minute, Jerome Opoku appeared to have doubled Başakşehir's lead, only for VAR to intervene and cancel the strike. The decision shifted the match's entire balance in an instant—from a march toward victory to a desperate scramble for survival. With 12 corners contested and set-piece stakes climbing, the pitch became a cauldron of desperation.

Cardoso Restores Parity: The Lead Changes Twice

Seven minutes later, M. Cardoso restored equilibrium for Kayserispor, finishing from A. Opoku's assist to level at 1-1. Two lead changes and a tie that persisted—this was balance in its purest, most chaotic form. Majid Hosseini marshalled Kayserispor's rearguard with commanding authority, whilst Festy Ebosele's defensive work kept the hosts' attacking threat contained.

Başakşehir's superior xG (0.84 to 0.42) and shot volume (13 to 9) tell the story of a team that should have won, yet VAR's intervention proved decisive. Başakşehir sit 8th with 4 points from two games; Kayserispor remain 12th with 1 point, but this draw offers them hope in a season that began with defeat.