Göztepe secured an important 3-1 victory over Çaykur Rizespor in the Turkish Süper Lig on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. The home side took control early with a goal inside the first fifteen minutes and never looked back, adding two more before Rizespor managed a late consolation. The match was effectively sealed just before halftime when Göztepe's midfielder scored a stunning long-range effort to make it 2-0, deflating the visiting team. Rizespor improved in the second half and pulled a goal back, but any hope of a comeback was extinguished when Göztepe scored a third on a swift counter-attack. The win provides a significant boost to Göztepe's league position, moving them away from the relegation zone, while Rizespor's inconsistent form continues. The Göztepe manager hailed his team's "perfect first-half performance," and the Rizespor coach acknowledged his side's slow start cost them the match. The starting XIs included both teams' primary attacking threats in an entertaining encounter at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium.