Sakaryaspor moved clear at the top of the 2. Lig Red Group after securing a 3-1 victory over hosts Kahramanmaraş İstiklâlsportspor on Sunday. The result keeps the visitors unbeaten through three matches, while the hosts remain winless after their first defeat of the campaign. By then the table had already begun to separate the two sides.
Y. Abdioglu broke the deadlock in the 34th minute, giving the visitors a slender advantage before half-time. The home side pushed for an equaliser but Sakaryaspor's defence held firm. To be fair, the away side had earned a comfortable lead.
The match turned in the 61st minute when E. Kayacik collected a yellow card and was then shown red, leaving Kahramanmaraş to play the second half a man down. That price has gone, and Sakaryaspor were quick to make their presence felt.
E. Korkmaz struck in the 63rd minute, just two minutes after the dismissal, before H. Bilal added a third in the 70th. U. Can rounded off the scoring in the 77th, leaving the hosts with nothing but pride to salvage.
Statistics tell the story plainly: Kahramanmaraş had four yellow cards and one red, while Sakaryaspor showed just one yellow and none in red. The visitors dominated territory and chances, though the scoreline does not tell the full tale.
Sakaryaspor now sit top with nine points from three games, a perfect start that puts them clear of the chasing pack. Kahramanmaraş remain 12th on two points after three matches, still searching for their first win of the season. One mistake ends it, and the visitors took full advantage.
