Rizespor 2 - 2 FT Beşiktaş

Rizespor fly, Beşiktaş hit back, VAR kills the last twist

Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 100/100. This 2-2 at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu was a wild advert for the Süper Lig and a brutal reminder of how thin the margins are for a European-chasing Beşiktaş.

Opening Act: Rize punch hard, Beşiktaş stunned

No easing into this one. Rizespor came out snarling, turning the night into a hostile trip for fourth-placed Beşiktaş and pushing the game’s Intensity skyward immediately. Direct running, early crosses, and relentless penalty-box traffic had the visitors wobbling. The star of that spell was Ali Sowe. He struck first on 18 minutes, finishing after M. Sagnan forced the opening, then doubled the lead on 31 minutes from A. Mebude’s driven work down the flank. By then, Rize already had a flurry of shots and were living in Beşiktaş’s box. The away side edged possession at 53%, but that didn’t translate into control; their back line looked exposed and their attacks blunt, with Orkun Kökçü trying to knit play but finding few runners willing to break lines.

The Pivot: triple sub, double impact, and a red cloud

The whole match flipped at half-time. Beşiktaş’s bench changed the Balance of power in one swing, sending on Jota Silva, V. Cerny, and J. Olaitan for the second half. Suddenly Rize’s back line had no reference points. On 55 minutes, Kökçü finally got the runners he’d been begging for; his pass sliced Rize open and Jota Silva coolly made it 2-1. Seven minutes later, Olaitan combined smartly and slipped in Cerny, who levelled at 2-2. Both goals from substitutes, the assist from another – the away bench completely shifted the game’s Intensity. Rize, who produced 2.64 xG from 22 attempts, simply couldn’t live with the new pace. Then came the 73rd minute: R. Ucar’s red card. With that, Rizespor abandoned ambition and slipped into pure survival mode.

Resolution: survival, near-theft, and the VAR sting

The closing stretch was survival horror for Rizespor. Down to ten, they dropped into their box while Beşiktaş kept the ball and squeezed the Balance of territory. The visitors ended with 23 shots and nine on target, forcing seven saves from the home keeper in a night where both goalkeepers contributed to the high Intensity feel. Rize leaned on set pieces – eight corners and constant counters – as their only way out. Then came the gut punch that never was: deep into stoppage time, Halil Dervişoğlu thought he’d written a famous winner, only for VAR to pull it back for offside. The stadium went from eruption to disbelief in seconds. In the table, Beşiktaş drop valuable points in their push for European spots, while Rizespor stay mid-table. For them, this draw is both a missed 2-0 lead and, after that late VAR call, a point rescued.

Top-four pressure test for Beşiktaş in Rize

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 80/100. Champions League places are on the line for Beşiktaş, while Rizespor have the perfect chance to finish their season by flooring a giant.

The Setup

On May 15, 2026 at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu, this Süper Lig clash feels bigger than a standard Round 34 fixture. Beşiktaş sit 4th on 60 points, right in the mix for Champions League football, and simply cannot afford to slip. Rizespor are 8th with 41 points, safely mid-table but hungry for a statement win.

Beşiktaş bring a strong away record and a high Form profile, having taken victories in half of their trips this season. Rizespor respond with stubborn home performances and a recent uptick in results that turns this into a genuine crunch match. With both sides combining for over three goals per game across the campaign, this is set up for a fast, open contest rather than a cagey stalemate.

In a regular season league setting, this is all about European football. Beşiktaş are defending their top-four seat; every dropped point invites rivals to close in. Rizespor, from 8th, are chasing a strong final position and the prestige of taking down a Champions League-chasing giant. The underlying Balance indicators suggest swings of momentum rather than one-way traffic.

Key Battle

For Rizespor, the spotlight falls on Qazim Laci, the midfielder driving them forward with aggressive runs and a taste for breaking into the box. Opposite him, Beşiktaş lean on Orkun Kökçü, the brains of their midfield. Kökçü’s control of tempo and his end product – 2 goals and 1 assist in his last 5 matches – give Beşiktaş a clear creative edge. If Laci can disrupt Kökçü’s rhythm and force a scrappy game, Rizespor stay right in it; if Kökçü finds time and space, Beşiktaş’s Stars impact should shine through.

Our Prediction

We expect Beşiktaş to see more of the ball, building patiently through Kökçü, while Rizespor look to spring quickly in transition and attack wide areas. The early stages should be about Beşiktaş probing and Rizespor snapping into duels, with chances at both ends rather than one side parking the bus. As legs tire and spaces open, Beşiktaş’s superior quality and higher Stars influence are likely to tilt it their way, but not without scares. Think an entertaining, goal-filled match where the visitors edge it by a narrow margin.