ISTANBUL (Interstat) — In a dramatic conclusion that defied pregame projections, Corum FK secured a 2-1 victory over Sariyer on Sunday in a 1. Lig match at Yusuf Ziya Öniş Stadyumu. A stoppage-time goal from Metehan Mert delivered the decisive blow, handing the visiting side a winning start to their league campaign.

The match, the season opener for both Turkish second-division clubs, was characterized by physical play and a tense, scoreless deadlock that persisted for the majority of regulation. The contest featured six yellow cards, with a flurry of disciplinary action occurring just before halftime. Sariyer’s Cebrail Karayel and Corum FK’s Papy Djilobodji were booked in the 40th minute, followed by another caution for Corum FK’s Fredy just three minutes later.

Corum FK, entering as significant underdogs according to statistical models, weathered the early pressure. Interstat’s ELO rating system had given Sariyer a 79.5 percent probability of winning the match, while the organization’s game simulator had predicted a 1-1 draw. The home side, supported by their fans in Istanbul, was expected to control the tempo.

The stalemate was finally broken deep into second-half stoppage time. In the 98th minute, Metehan Mert found the net for Corum FK, sending the visiting squad into celebration and stunning the home supporters. The goal capped a match where clear chances were at a premium and underscored a resilient defensive performance from the visitors, who managed the game effectively despite the constant threat of Sariyer’s attack.

The result provides an immediate boost for Corum FK at the outset of the 1. Lig season. Both teams now hold identical records in the competition, with Corum FK at one win and no losses and Sariyer at no wins and one loss. The records across all competitions also reflect this opening fixture. For Sariyer, the defeat represents a missed opportunity to capitalize on home-field advantage and pregame expectations, leaving them to regroup after a last-gasp setback.

The match officials managed a game that grew increasingly fractious as the minutes ticked away. Following the earlier cluster of yellow cards, Corum FK’s Pedrinho Moreira was cautioned in the 50th minute. Sariyer’s Enver Kulašin received a yellow in the 63rd minute, and teammate Oğuzhan Berber was booked in the 84th minute as the home side pressed urgently for a breakthrough that ultimately never came before Corum FK’s late winner.

The victory allows Corum FK to immediately distance themselves from the preseason forecasts and build momentum as they look to establish themselves in the 1. Lig. For Sariyer, the focus will turn to correcting course after a defeat that hinged on the finest of margins in the dying moments of their season opener.