Halide Edip Adıvar beat Kütahyaspor 2:1 in the Second League on Saturday. The hosts took all three points thanks to a late goal that broke Kütahyaspor's resistance. E. Eren opened the scoring from the spot, M. Ozkoroglu equalised, and A. Cift snatched it at the death.
Eren converted a penalty in the 18th minute to give the home side an early advantage. By then the visitors had been under pressure, though they weathered the storm. The goal settled Halide Edip Adıvar and gave them confidence to control the tempo.
Kütahyaspor responded well and Ozkoroglu levelled in the 56th minute. To be fair, they had been creating chances and deserved something from the game. The equaliser shifted the momentum and the visitors began to fancy their chances.
The match remained poised until the 80th minute when Cift found the net for the winner. And here's the thing — that goal came at the right moment and tore Kütahyaspor's resolve apart. The hosts held on despite the visitors throwing everything at them.
Halide Edip Adıvar now sit in sixth place with four points from two games. Kütahyaspor remain seventh on three points after picking up their first defeat. The gap between them is narrow and the pressure is building on both sides.
Halide Edip Adıvar have been difficult to beat recently, drawing twice and winning once in their last five matches. Kütahyaspor showed resilience with three wins but this loss will worry their supporters. The league is tight and every point matters now.