Rizespor 4 - 1 FT Samsunspor

Rizespor turn Çaykur Didi Stadyumu into a storm

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 73/100. This 4-1 at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu felt like a statement win for Rizespor and a sharp reality check for Samsunspor’s push towards the upper half.

Opening Act: Even on the ball, edge in the duels

The match started like a classic Black Sea league clash: heavy tackles, shared fouls, no step back from either side. Samsunspor edged possession, but the real Intensity came from Rizespor without the ball. They pressed in bursts, forced mistakes and turned a balanced shot count into better chances around the box. In midfield, Qazim Laci kept breaking lines with vertical passes, while the hosts attacked the half-spaces rather than just tossing crosses. Samsunspor looked dangerous from corners, piling up set pieces, yet their final ball kept dying against a well-organised back line marshalled by Attila Mocsi. For half an hour the Balance felt tight, almost cagey, but the sense was clear: if anyone were going to crack it open, it would be Rizespor’s more direct, purposeful transitions.

The Pivot: Goal, red card, total collapse

Everything flipped in a blur between 39 and 45+3. First, L. Augusto slipped in behind and finished calmly from A. Sowe’s pass to finally break Samsunspor’s resistance. Barely a minute later, T. Fink saw red, and that’s when the whole Balance of the night imploded for the visitors. Reduced to ten, Samsunspor lost structure; Rizespor smelled blood. On 43 minutes, centre-back A. Mocsi surged into the box to turn in Laci’s delivery, a defender finishing like a number nine. Then, deep into first-half stoppage time, Laci crowned his masterclass, arriving on the edge to convert C. Hojer’s ball for 3-0. Three goals in six minutes – a full-on storm. Rizespor turned comparable shot volume into far higher-quality chances, while the red card blew away Samsunspor’s grip on Intensity and composure.

Resolution: Augusto seals it, late consolation only

Three up and a man to the good, Rizespor came out after the break with control on their mind, not chaos. They let Samsunspor have more of the ball but waited, poised to strike in transition. On 50 minutes Augusto did exactly that, latching onto Laci’s pass to make it 4-0 and underline why he was the clear star of the night. From there the hosts managed the Intensity, dropping the tempo, rotating possession and refusing to give Samsunspor clean counter-attacking lanes. The visitors kept pushing, stacking up corners, but created too little from open play to truly threaten a comeback. In stoppage time C. Ndiaye, fed by A. Sousa, pulled one back for 4-1 – more cosmetic than meaningful for the overall Balance. Rizespor walk away boosted and climbing, while Samsunspor leave with harsh lessons about discipline and game management.

Rizespor searching for a spark, Samsunspor chasing a reset

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 69/100. This is a Form check for two Black Sea sides desperate to grab momentum for the run-in.

The Setup

On 22 March 2026 at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu, Rizespor host Samsunspor in a Süper Lig game that won’t headline the weekend, but could quietly reshape both teams’ seasons. Rizespor sit 12th on 19 points from 19 matches, with only four wins and just two home victories in eight attempts – that fragile home record hangs over everything here.

In contrast, Samsunspor are 7th with 27 points and a positive goal difference, yet their recent "DDLLL" run has slammed the brakes on any push towards Europe. This is classic mid-season territory: not a title race decider, not a survival drama, but a contest where the winner gets a psychological jump and a healthier platform for the final stretch. The expected goals flow is promising too – both teams score and concede enough to suggest we won’t be watching a stalemate in slow motion.

On the Stars side, the away attack brings the sharper edge, while Rizespor lean heavily on goalkeeper Y. Fofana, who has produced 22 saves in his last five matches. With competitive Balance but only moderate Stakes in the league context, this has the feel of a match where individual moments and errors, rather than long-term narratives, will dominate the story.

Key Battle

The decisive duel should be Rizespor’s midfield circulation against Samsunspor’s high press. When the hosts move the ball quickly through the middle, they can release wide runners and overload the flanks; when their passing tempo drops, their lines stretch, leaving big channels to be attacked. Samsunspor thrive when they press early, force rushed decisions and pounce on loose passes. Second balls around the centre circle will be gold dust: whoever wins those and transitions forward faster is likely to control territory and chances. Rizespor’s insistence on building from the back versus Samsunspor’s appetite to punish risky build-up is the tactical fault line.

Our Prediction

Expect an open, sometimes chaotic match rather than a cagey chess game. Rizespor should start on the front foot, driven by home pressure and the need to repair that poor record, whipping in crosses and crashing the box for second balls. But as the game stretches, Samsunspor’s speed in transition and sharper individual quality in the final third should surface. Rizespor’s back line will likely leave space in behind, inviting counters. We see goals at both ends, with a draw looking very realistic, and Samsunspor more likely to create the clearer chances if they survive the early storm.