Kocaelispor beats Gaziantep 2-0 before international break

Kocaelispor defeated Gaziantep FK 2-0 at TURKA Kocaeli Stadium in the Trendyol Super Lig sixth round on Saturday. The home side moved to 12 points after six matches, securing a third consecutive home win.

The first half ended goalless despite Gaziantep creating clearer chances through Mateusz Kozlowski and Halil Dervişoğlu. Kocaelispor lost left-back Massadio Haidara to injury in the 24th minute, replaced by Muharrem Cinan.

“Second half was the complete opposite of the first. The players showed everything we wanted on the pitch. It was a deserved victory earned with the second-half performance.”

Berkan Kutlu broke the deadlock in the 56th minute with a shot from outside the box that deflected off a defender and wrong-footed goalkeeper Kacper Tobiasz. Goalkeeper Serhat Öztaşdelen then denied Gaziantep's Alexandru Sorescu with a reflex save.

Coach Selçuk İnan introduced Daniel Agyei and Makana Baku in the 74th minute. Two minutes later, Agyei scored his first league goal, finishing a Berkan Kutlu pass from the left channel to make it 2-0. The result extended Kocaelispor's perfect home record to three wins without conceding.

İnan said the team struggled with unexpected absences and a quiet crowd in the first half but delivered the desired performance after the break. He highlighted tactical preparation to neutralise the Maxim-Kozlowski link. Player Uğur Kaan Yıldız called the international break timely for recovery and further work.