Kayserispor suffered an early exit from the Ziraat Türkiye Kupası. The team were eliminated from the cup after a 4-1 away defeat to Bitlis Spor 1916 in the third round at the Yeni Bitlis Eren Stadium.
The home side were effective in the first half. Ali Akkuş put Bitlis Spor ahead 1-0 with a goal in the 30th minute. The hosts added another goal before the break, with Muhammet Arslantaş making it 2-0 in the 45th minute. Bitlis Spor continued their pressure in the second half, extending the lead to three with a goal from Halil Yılmaz in the 53rd minute.
Kayserispor's only goal came in the 62nd minute. Mert Denizli's strike gave the visiting team hope. However, Enes İslam İlkin's goal in the 80th minute made it 4-1 to Bitlis Spor, sealing the match's fate. Kayserispor had a goal from Malik Hayvali in the 91st minute ruled out for offside.
FOCUS RETURNS TO THE LEAGUE
This cup disappointment requires Kayserispor to turn their full attention to the Trendyol 1. Lig title race. The team are second in the league with 27 points from 12 games, sitting just one point behind leaders Bursaspor. With a recent form of two wins, two draws, and one loss in their last five league matches, Kayserispor have scored 26 goals this season while conceding only nine for a +17 goal difference.
The team's next destination is a key league match at home against Muğlaspor on Monday, 2 November. This match against the 7th-placed opponent is vital for Kayserispor to maintain their position in the leadership race. T. Seferi, the season's top scorer with 9 goals in 12 appearances, is expected to contribute. Kayserispor fans hope the team can quickly move past this disappointment and maintain their strong league standing.
This story first appeared at Cumhuriyet
It has emerged that the coach who eliminated Kayserispor from the Turkish Cup was Bahaddin Güneş of Bitlis 1916 Spor. The club stated they trusted Güneş's knowledge and experience when he started the role on October 5th. Güneş is the brother of famous manager Şenol Güneş. Kayserispor now turns its full focus to its second-place league standing, hosting Muğlaspor on November 2nd.
