Trabzonspor 1 - 1 FT Samsunspor

Black Sea Derby Ends in Heartbreak: Trabzonspor's Title Push Stalls

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 61/100. Trabzonspor and Samsunspor's regional clash delivered VAR controversy and a dramatic late equalizer—a six-pointer lost in the title race.

Onuachu's Early Strike and VAR's Intervention

Paul Onuachu broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, finishing a crisp move orchestrated by Oleksandr Zubkov's creative pass. Trabzonspor controlled proceedings with 55% possession, but the intensity spiked dramatically in the 64th when VAR cancelled a penalty awarded to Onuachu. The decision shifted momentum entirely, exposing the fragility of the home side's dominance. Samsunspor's 13 shots—more than Trabzonspor's nine—revealed an imbalanced contest masked by possession figures.

Marius Strikes Late: The Equalizer That Hurt

In the 88th minute, Marius smashed home the leveller, shattering Trabzonspor's hopes of a clean victory. The balance had shifted twice during the match, with Samsunspor's relentless corner pressure—10 in total—finally paying dividends. Uğurcan Çakır's three saves kept Trabzonspor alive, but the final whistle confirmed a missed opportunity. Second-placed Trabzonspor, on 10 points, now trail the leaders by four. Samsunspor, sixth with eight points, salvaged a draw from a match where their expected goals (0.98) outweighed Trabzonspor's (0.56).

The Real Story: Possession Without Precision

Trabzonspor's 86% pass accuracy masked a toothless attacking display. Yunus Emre Çift's standout performance anchored Samsunspor's resistance, while Zubkov's two key passes represented the hosts' creative lifeline. This wasn't a case of the better team losing—it was a cautionary tale about dominance without cutting edge. In a title race this tight, such six-pointers define seasons. Trabzonspor's unbeaten run ended not with a defeat, but with the hollow sting of a lead surrendered in the dying moments.

Black Sea Derby: Trabzonspor out to lay down a marker

Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 52/100. The Black Sea Derby pits Trabzonspor’s early-season power against Samsunspor’s resilience, with the top end of the table set for a serious shake-up.

The Setup

On 31 August 2025, the stadium becomes the epicentre of the Black Sea as Trabzonspor look to turn a strong start into a statement win. Nine wins, four draws and just one defeat from 14, 31 points and a +13 goal difference underline a side in serious Form, capped by a WWDDW run.

Samsunspor arrive in 5th, on 25 points from 15 games, beaten only twice and with a recent LDDWW pattern that screams stubborn, hard-to-kill unit. The numbers tilt the Balance towards Trabzonspor, but this regional grudge match rarely obeys logic.

The Stakes cut both ways. Trabzonspor can cement themselves firmly in the title conversation with a derby win; Samsunspor can slash the gap to the Black Sea heavyweight and plant a flag in the European race. This isn’t just about local pride, it’s about shaping the league’s upper tier before autumn even bites.

On the talent front, Trabzonspor clearly edge the Stars column. At the back, Stefan Savić is running hot: 1 goal in 3 matches and an average rating of 7.6, orchestrating build-up and threatening from set pieces. Behind the line, Uğurcan Çakır’s shot-stopping surge has underpinned that miserly defensive record.

Key Battle

The game’s hinge could be the duel between Trabzonspor’s organiser Stefan Savić and Samsunspor’s last line Okan Koçuk. Savić’s calm distribution and set-piece menace will pin Samsunspor deep and force Koçuk into a night of constant decisions on crosses and through balls. Every accurate long pass from Savić that breaks the first press demands a big save or brave claim from Koçuk. Conversely, each stop from the Samsun keeper can flip the script into counters. One towering defensive header or one fingertip save may decide where the derby bragging rights end up.

Our Prediction

Trabzonspor’s structure, depth and home atmosphere should eventually overpower Samsunspor’s admirable resistance. Expect the hosts to dominate territory early, working the flanks and piling up set pieces, while Samsunspor sit compact and strike in transition. After the break, fatigue and pressure are likely to stretch the visitors’ block, inviting more involvement from Savić on the ball and Uğurcan to launch quick restarts. Our call: Trabzonspor 2-1 Samsunspor. Samsunspor land their punches, but sustained pressure and superior quality tilt a fiercely contested Black Sea Derby towards the hosts.