Kepez Belediyespor booked their place in the next round of the TUR Kupası with a thrilling 3-2 victory away at Karaman FK on Wednesday evening, winning a five-goal cup tie that swung one way and then the other before the visitors finally edged it in the closing stages at the Karaman Atatürk Stadyumu.

The result sends the Antalya-based side through at the expense of their hosts, who had twice dragged themselves back into the contest in front of a passionate home crowd. Cup football rarely offers a more complete package than this: goals, momentum shifts, a comeback, and a decisive late strike.

Match Overview

Karaman FK came into the tie as the home side and started with the greater urgency, pressing high and looking to turn possession into early chances. Kepez Belediyespor, more measured in their build-up, absorbed that opening spell and gradually worked their way into the rhythm of the game.

By the interval the pattern had settled into an open, end-to-end cup tie. Both teams committed bodies forward whenever they won the ball back, and neither defence looked entirely comfortable. That willingness to attack from both sides is what produced five goals and a finish that kept the home supporters on edge until the final whistle.

Key Moments

• Kepez strike first: The visitors opened the scoring with a well-worked move that pulled the Karaman back line out of shape, finishing calmly to silence the home crowd.
• Karaman respond: The hosts levelled before the break, converting sustained pressure with a goal that lifted the atmosphere inside the stadium.
• Kepez retake the lead: A second-half surge restored the away side's advantage, only for Karaman to hit back once more and make it 2-2.
• The late winner: With the tie heading towards extra time, Kepez found the decisive third goal — the moment that ultimately separated the two teams and settled the scoreline at 2-3.

Tactical Story

Karaman FK's approach was built on width and quick switches of play, trying to stretch a Kepez defence that sat relatively deep after taking the lead. It worked in patches, particularly during the periods when the home side equalised, but it also left space behind for Kepez to exploit on the counter.

Kepez Belediyespor were the more clinical of the two. Rather than dominating possession, they prioritised efficiency in the final third, using direct running and well-timed support from midfield to create chances out of relatively few touches. In a knockout format where the margin between progress and elimination is a single goal, that ruthlessness is exactly what matters. Karaman's inability to hold a lead — even briefly — proved the difference on the night.

Standout Players

Kepez's attacking unit deserves the credit for the win, with the goalscorers showing composure in the biggest moments of the match. The away side's midfield also played a crucial role, winning second balls and turning defensive work into rapid transitions.

For Karaman FK, the response after falling behind was the most encouraging aspect of the performance. The players who stepped up to level the game twice showed real character, and the home side's pressing structure caused Kepez genuine problems for long stretches. On another evening, with slightly sharper finishing, this tie could easily have gone the other way.

Cup Context and What Comes Next

The TUR Kupası is Turkish football's premier knockout competition, and for clubs outside the Süper Lig it represents one of the most realistic routes to a memorable season. A run in the cup brings prize money, visibility, and the chance of a glamour tie against top-flight opposition in the later rounds.

For Kepez Belediyespor, this 3-2 win is precisely that kind of springboard. A road victory in a hostile environment, in a match where they were pegged back twice, builds belief that can carry into the next round. For Karaman FK, the exit will sting, but the performance offered plenty for the coaching staff to build on in league competition, where consistency over a full campaign matters more than a single knockout night.

The final word on this tie belongs to the scoreline: Karaman FK 2, Kepez Belediyespor 3. Five goals, two comebacks, and one late winner — cup football at its most compelling.