Van BB claimed a 3-2 victory over Istanbulspor at Spor Toto Akhisar Stadium on Saturday evening. The match came in the third round of the 1. Lig regular season, with the hosts holding on after a late strike from R. Zivkovic in the 48th minute of the second period. The result lifted Van BB to four points from five games, while Istanbulspor remain rooted to 19th place with two points after four matches.
M. Ologo Inainfe opened the scoring for Van BB in the 23rd minute, but Istanbulspor responded quickly. A. Cham levelled in the 31st minute before F. Ozhan put the visitors ahead by halftime. Van BB then found their footing, with J. Bardhi equalising in the 38th minute and Zivkovic taking the lead just three minutes into the second period. The home side kept their heads when the pressure mounted.
And here's the thing about this match — Istanbulspor had the chance to salvage something from the tie. Phellipe stepped up for a penalty in the 65th minute but failed to convert. That miss proved costly, as Van BB controlled the tempo after the break. Both managers made changes around the hour mark, with Van BB bringing on D. Aydin, while Istanbulspor replaced F. Ozhan in the 64th minute.
The statistics tell a story of wasted opportunities on both sides. Van BB registered 10 shots with six on target, while Istanbulspor managed eight attempts, only three testing the goalkeeper. Possession sat evenly at 50 per cent each, but the visitors generated 97 attacks compared to 67 from the hosts. Shots accuracy favoured Van BB at 55 per cent versus Istanbulspor's 23 per cent — a gap that reflected the final scoreline.
By then, both teams had shown signs of struggle this season. Van BB have lost three of their five matches and sit 14th, while Istanbulspor have not found the net in two consecutive defeats. The result means Van BB cannot afford another slip if they want to climb away from the relegation zone. Istanbulspor, meanwhile, remain searching for their first victory of the campaign.
