Iğdır had the better chances, then lost a penalty to VAR

Sarıyer and Iğdır FK drew at the Yusuf Ziya Öniş Stadium, with the visitors creating more and seeing a late penalty overturned.

Iğdır FK had more of the ball than they usually keep and the better of the chances, yet they left with a point after a penalty was taken away at 86 minutes. VAR, the video review used for major decisions, cancelled the award after a close look at the incident. A side that creates more than usual and still walks off with one goal has had an evening that is easy to misread from the scoreline alone.

Eşref Korkmazoğlu put Sarıyer ahead on 66 minutes, the first goal of the match. Six minutes later S. Gürler levelled for the visitors, and the goal stood after review. The two strikes came close together, and they turned a quiet game into one where every late decision carried weight.

Sarıyer had 43% of the ball, well below the 53.1% they usually keep at home. Iğdır had 57%, against an away average of 47.2%. Possession is not a goal, but it shows which side was holding the game in its hands for most of the afternoon, and here that was the visitors.

Expected goals, or xG, scores each shot by how likely it was to go in, from zero to one. Iğdır's total was 1.63, which is above their usual away figure of 1.16, and they had ten shots from inside the box to Sarıyer's seven. Sarıyer's own total sat below their home norm of 1.45, so the hosts created less than they normally do even while scoring.

Shot counts were close to normal for both sides, with each taking roughly what it usually takes. The difference lay in accuracy and position: Sarıyer had eight efforts on target and Iğdır had four, yet Iğdır's attempts came from better areas. Sarıyer also allowed chances of higher quality than their home average of 1.4, and the only reason the score did not move more was the work of the goalkeepers. J. Szumski made seven saves for Iğdır, and I. Šehić made three for Sarıyer.

Korkmazoğlu's strike was the decisive moment for the home side, and he added two key passes to his tally. Gürler's equaliser was his main contribution, but he also had two shots on target, and his 8.2 rating was the highest of anyone on the pitch. Neither player would have been named in a match with fewer chances, which is part of why the result reads as a reward for attacking.

Iğdır have 27 points from 13 matches, while Sarıyer have 16 from the same number of games. The visitors have now gone six matches without defeat, with a draw, two wins, a draw, a win and a draw in their most recent results. Sarıyer have one more home match to play before the winter break, and the division's average of 2.9 goals a match looks a long way off from this one's two.

Player of the matchS. Gürler1 goal8.2

J. Szumski7 saves7.7

C. Osmanpaşa1 shot on target7.2

A. Öztürk90 minutes7.2