İstanbulspor’s Late First-Half Rally Halts Bandırmaspor’s Climb, as Both Sides Share Honors in Esenyurt Stalemate
In the final act of a turbulent first half, under the fading daylight at Esenyurt Necmi Kadıoğlu Stadyumu, İstanbulspor and Bandırmaspor traded blows that would define a night of missed opportunities, near-misses, and hard-earned parity. A 1-1 draw—etched by Leandro Bacuna’s steely opener and Emrecan Uzunhan’s stubborn reply—offered little relief for İstanbulspor’s ambitions, while Bandırmaspor left the field rueful for what might have been in a game that never quite tipped decisively either way.
For a Bandırmaspor side rising on the momentum of two straight wins and sitting on the fringes of the promotion chase, the evening presented an enticing opportunity. İstanbulspor, beset by inconsistency and marooned in the bottom half after just two victories in their opening nine matches, have found solace mostly in small spells—and today, in the rarest of moments, a touch of resilience.
Bandırmaspor set their stall out early, controlling possession and carving lines through midfield, seeking to capitalize on İstanbulspor’s recent defensive frailty—a frailty laid bare in their 5-0 capitulation at Erokspor last month. The visitors’ intent was clear as they probed from the outset, with Douglas Tanque and Hikmet Çiftçi orchestrating much of the first-half pressure. Yet it was Leandro Bacuna, the ever-elusive Dutch international, who found the breakthrough in the 39th minute. The midfielder latched onto Tanque’s deft layoff just outside the penalty arc, shifting the ball onto his right and unleashing a low strike tucked just inside the near post—a finish emblematic of Bandırmaspor’s slick, vertical play.
Trailing once more, İstanbulspor’s supporters required little reminding of their side’s recent malaise: a single point collected from the previous three matches, and only glimmers of the attacking fluency that suffused September’s 4-0 dismantling of Ümraniyespor. Yet, against a Bandırmaspor side that had leaked goals in their own right (notably in a 4-1 thrashing by Manisa BBSK), there was always hope for a lifeline.
That lifeline arrived, improbably, with halftime looming. İstanbulspor, emboldened by the deficit, pressed forward with vigor. In the 45th minute, a curling corner from Florian Loshaj was only partially cleared, falling to Emrecan Uzunhan at the edge of the six-yard box. The central defender, typically more familiar with repelling attacks than instigating them, acted decisively—sliding the ball past goalkeeper Gökhan Değirmenci amid a scramble of bodies. The equalizer, coming at such a psychologically keen moment, shifted the stadium’s mood palpably.
The balance of the match turned cagey after the interval, with neither manager willing to yield. İstanbulspor tightened at the back, with Uzunhan and Vefa Temel patrolling diligently, while the midfield contest grew fractious. Bandırmaspor continued to probe, with Bacuna and Remi Mulumba knitting passes, but genuine chances were at a premium. İstanbulspor nearly snatched the lead on a rare counter, when Mario Krstovski—silent for much of the game—lashed a shot narrowly wide from a tight angle.
Tempers flared on occasion in a game low on clear-cut chances but high on urgency. Yet, despite a handful of meaty challenges, referee Volkan Bayarslan kept his cards holstered. No red cards or dramatic dismissals marred the contest, though the intensity never truly abated.
With the draw, Bandırmaspor maintain their position in the top half, now with 14 points from nine matches, though their early-season push has been rendered a touch less dynamic by dropped points here. For İstanbulspor, sitting 14th with 11 points, the single point does little to ignite a campaign that has often lurched between promise and disappointment. Stuck in a run that’s produced just two wins in their last seven, manager Mustafa Dalcı will be acutely aware that his side’s margin for error is shrinking rapidly in the congested lower reaches of the 1. Lig.
Recent history between the two clubs has produced little to separate them—last season’s meetings ended in draws as well—yet this latest stalemate felt less about tradition and more about two teams still sorting their identities at the season’s quarter-mark.
Looking forward, Bandırmaspor remain within striking distance of the playoff places, but the points they’ve let slip in Esenyurt risk becoming costly in the weeks ahead, with their schedule set to stiffen as autumn deepens. For İstanbulspor, the road gets no easier. Their next fixtures promise little respite, and they will need to rediscover the attacking verve displayed in their rare wins if they are to climb away from the relegation trapdoor.
On a night when momentum flickered but never fully burned, both İstanbulspor and Bandırmaspor leave with a point that may prove useful come spring, but for now, it feels like an opportunity neither side quite managed to seize.