ANKARA, Turkiye (Interstat) — Visiting Goztepe delivered a commanding performance to open its Süper Lig season, defeating Gençlerbirliği SK 2-0 at Eryaman Stadyumu on Saturday, April 4, 2026. The result defied a pregame projection of a draw, instead validating statistical models that heavily favored the visitors.

The match was decisively shaped by the impact of substitutes, with Goztepe’s bench providing the necessary spark to break down a stubborn Gençlerbirliği defense. The deadlock was broken in the 65th minute by substitute Novatus Dismas, who finished a well-worked team move to give Goztepe a lead it would not relinquish. The assist was credited to fellow substitute Malcom Bokélé, who had entered the match alongside Dismas.

Bokélé then sealed the victory in the 78th minute, scoring Goztepe’s second goal to put the match out of reach. His goal was assisted by defender Dimitrios Goutas, highlighting a productive day for Goztepe’s set-piece delivery and defensive contributions in the attack. Bokélé’s one-goal, one-assist performance off the bench was the most influential individual effort of the contest.

The assist on Dismas’s opening goal was one of several noted in a game where Goztepe’s buildup play involved numerous contributors. In addition to Bokélé and Goutas, assists were officially recorded for substitutes Héliton and Anthony Dennis, as well as for defender Pedro Pereira, midfielder Žan Žužek and substitute Janderson, indicating a wide-ranging and collaborative offensive effort from the visiting side.

The match was a physical affair, with the referee issuing eight yellow cards. Goztepe’s Pedro Pereira received the first booking in the 39th minute for a tactical foul. Teammates Anthony Dennis and Héliton were cautioned in the 43rd and 50th minutes, respectively. A heated moment in the 54th minute saw yellow cards issued to Goztepe’s goal-scorer Malcom Bokélé and Gençlerbirliği’s Žan Žužek simultaneously. Goztepe defender Dimitrios Goutas was booked in the 67th minute, and substitute Janderson received a late yellow in the 86th minute.

The victory gives Goztepe a perfect start to the new Süper Lig campaign, moving its league record to one win and zero losses. Across all competitions this season, the club now holds an identical mark. For the home side, Gençlerbirliği SK begins its season with a defeat, falling to zero wins and one loss both in the Süper Lig and in all competitions. The team struggled to generate consistent offense in front of its home supporters, failing to capitalize on any opportunities to alter the trajectory of the match.

Pregame analytics presented a conflicting outlook. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw for the contest. However, the organization’s ELO rating system told a different story, calculating a 90.20 percent probability for a Goztepe victory. The latter forecast proved accurate as Goztepe controlled proceedings for large stretches and capitalized efficiently in the second half to secure all three points on the road.

The match underscores the potential depth of Goztepe’s squad this season, with decisive contributions coming from players who started the game on the bench. For Gençlerbirliği, the opening-day loss at home presents an immediate challenge as the club looks to rebound in the coming weeks of the long Süper Lig season.