İstanbul Başakşehir 2-0 Kocaelispor: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Süper Lig Matchday 1 · Sunday 16 August 2026 · Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu, İstanbul · referee M. Türkmen · full time
Full time: İstanbul Başakşehir 2-0 Kocaelispor
İstanbul Başakşehir won 2-0 at home to Kocaelispor in Süper Lig Matchday 1 on Sunday 16 August 2026. The goals: Christopher Operi 14', Eldor Shomurodov 72'.
How İstanbul Başakşehir won it
İstanbul Başakşehir struck first through Christopher Operi in the 14th minute, set up by Abbosbek Fayzullaev. Eldor Shomurodov made it 2-0 to İstanbul Başakşehir in the 72nd minute, set up by Andreas Skov Olsen.
It was 1-0 at half-time.
The referee, M. Türkmen, showed 5 yellow cards: 2 to İstanbul Başakşehir and 3 to Kocaelispor.
İstanbul Başakşehir: N. Şahin, 4-2-3-1 · Kocaelispor: S. İnan, 4-3-3.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 0.52 for İstanbul Başakşehir and 2.82 for Kocaelispor.
İstanbul Başakşehir scored about 1.5 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.
Kocaelispor left about 2.8 goals' worth of chances on the pitch.
Kocaelispor created the better chances, 2.82 xG to 0.52, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
İstanbul Başakşehir had 5 shots on target, Kocaelispor 4.
İstanbul Başakşehir had 51% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
İstanbul Başakşehir came into it with 8 Süper Lig matches played, scoring 1.5 and conceding 1.5 a match, with 1.61 expected goals for and 1.50 against, and had won 38% of their matches.
Kocaelispor came into it with 9 Süper Lig matches played, scoring 1.2 and conceding 1.0 a match, with 1.23 expected goals for and 1.61 against, and had won 56% of their matches.
İstanbul Başakşehir vs Kocaelispor: the match in numbers
| İstanbul Başakşehir | Match statistics | Kocaelispor |
|---|---|---|
| 51% | Ball possession | 49% |
| 0.52 | Expected goals (xG) | 2.82 |
| 17 | Total shots | 8 |
| 5 | Shots on target | 4 |
| 2 | Big chances | 1 |
| 469 | Total passes | 461 |
| 85% | Pass accuracy | 84% |
| 8 | Corners | 2 |
| 14 | Fouls | 14 |
| 0 | Offsides | 3 |
| 15 | Tackles | 10 |
| 4 | Saves | 3 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 2 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Christopher Operi (İstanbul Başakşehir), rated 8.3 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal.
İstanbul Başakşehir
- Christopher Operi 8.3 1 goal
- Andreas Skov Olsen 7.9 1 assist
- Jakub Kaluzinski 7.8
- Muhammed Şengezer 7.8
- Eldor Shomurodov 7.7 1 goal
Kocaelispor
- Rigoberto Rivas 6.9
- Uğur Kaan Yıldız 6.9
- Dan Agyei 6.8
- Massadio Haïdara 6.8
- Tanguy Zoukrou 6.7
The lowest-rated starter was Tayfur Bingöl at 6.3. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- İstanbul Başakşehir: Beşiktaş vs İstanbul Başakşehir Monday 26 October 2026 · Süper Lig
- Kocaelispor: Kocaelispor vs Rizespor Saturday 31 October 2026 · Süper Lig
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about İstanbul Başakşehir vs Kocaelispor
What was the score in İstanbul Başakşehir vs Kocaelispor?
İstanbul Başakşehir 2-0 Kocaelispor (half-time 1-0), Süper Lig, Sunday 16 August 2026.
Who scored in İstanbul Başakşehir vs Kocaelispor?
Christopher Operi 14', Eldor Shomurodov 72'.
Did Moneyball predict İstanbul Başakşehir vs Kocaelispor correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in İstanbul Başakşehir vs Kocaelispor?
Christopher Operi, rated 8.3 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed İstanbul Başakşehir vs Kocaelispor?
M. Türkmen.
Every match, before and after
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Moneyball Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.