Gazişehir Gaziantep 2 - 2 FT Samsunspor

Gaziantep's Final Flourish: Holds Samsunspor in Six-Pointer Thriller

Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 93/100. Two title contenders collided in a match where Gaziantep's 70-minute dominance and Samsunspor's numerical disadvantage created a classic that swung on a single moment of brilliance.

Early Shock, Swift Response

Samsunspor stunned the hosts with Rick Van Drongelen's fourth-minute header—Satka's assist found the defender unmarked at the back post. But Gaziantep answered swiftly. By the 19th minute, Cherif Ndiaye extended Samsunspor's lead to 2-0. Yet intensity was building. Kévin Rodrigues' creativity and Alexandru Maxim's eight key passes seized control of the pitch for the home side, who dominated possession at 70%.

Red Card Reversal and Dramatic Finish

At 45+5, the match pivoted: Ndiaye saw red. Gaziantep had fired 30 shots across 70 minutes of suffocation but trailed 2-1. Ten men defending, Samsunspor faced 20 corners and relentless pressure. But football wrote its own script. In the 75th minute, Abena finished Rodrigues' assist for 2-2. Balance restored—Gaziantep's title hopes intact.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Gaziantep's 89% pass accuracy and 30 shots versus Samsunspor's nine tells the story of asymmetric dominance. Yet Camara's introduction at 30 minutes—capped by his assist—shifted second-half momentum. A red card at 45+5 forced Samsunspor into nine-man survival mode. Thirteen corners, relentless attacking siege, 39 total shots: this was intensity distilled. Both sides claimed a point, but Gaziantep's home advantage and championship aspirations endure.

Top-four statement game in Gaziantep

Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 45/100. This is a measuring stick for two sides with genuine top-four ambitions, pitting Samsunspor’s control against Gazişehir Gaziantep’s attacking spark.

The Setup

On 27 September 2025, the stadium stages a quietly pivotal early-season clash as Gazişehir Gaziantep welcome Samsunspor. Samsunspor have turned consistency into a weapon: just 2 defeats in 15 matches, 25 points and 5th place put them right on the edge of the top-four race.

Gazişehir sit 7th with 22 points from 14 games, a record of 6 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses that screams volatility. They’ve scored 21 and conceded 22, an attacking side whose Balance is still a work in progress. Samsunspor by contrast have 22 scored and only 16 conceded, reflecting a more controlled structure that travels well.

In terms of Form and Stakes, this is where the top-four picture starts to sharpen. Gazişehir’s recent run of LWDDL underlines their boom-or-bust nature, while Samsunspor’s LDDWW points to a team that has learned how to survive bad days and still collect points. Drop anything here and you lose ground in the Champions League conversation.

The Stars are there too. For the hosts, Alexandru Maxim is the creative engine: 1 goal and 3 assists in his last 3 games with a 7.1 average rating. Alongside him, Melih Kabasakal has announced himself with a 7.9-rated outing that changed the midfield dynamic. Samsunspor answer with Cherif Ndiaye, who has already dropped a 1-goal, 7.7-rated performance in his single appearance.

Key Battle

The decisive duel runs through Gazişehir’s playmaker Alexandru Maxim and Samsunspor’s penalty-box predator Cherif Ndiaye. Maxim will try to unpick Samsunspor’s back line with vertical passes and clever movement between the lines; Ndiaye will wait to punish any loose defending with sharp runs and first-time finishes. Whichever side feeds its main man more consistently is likely to dictate territory and chance quality.

Our Prediction

Expect Gazişehir to take the initiative, pinning Samsunspor back with sustained possession and Maxim orchestrating around the box. Samsunspor will stay compact, trust their defensive structure and look to spring quickly into transition, targeting Ndiaye early and often. Gazişehir’s leaky back line makes it hard to trust them to close the game out; Samsunspor’s caution makes it equally hard to back them to fully tilt the pitch away from home. The result feels like a tactical arm-wrestle rather than a shootout. Our call: Gazişehir Gaziantep 1-1 Samsunspor.