Rizespor Aims to Turn Things Around Against Kocaelispor

Çaykur Rizespor midfielder Taylan Antalyalı said the team has not started its home matches this season the way it wanted. Speaking before training at the Mehmet Cengiz Facilities, the experienced player said the team has occasionally played well but has not been able to reflect that on the scoreboard.

Antalyalı argued that the first half of the Trabzonspor match went well, but said the team has struggled to explain the three goals conceded in eight minutes. Stressing that this result will be a lesson for the team, the player said they hope to turn things around against Kocaelispor and want to build a winning run by continuing that form both away and at home.

Addressing refereeing decisions, Antalyalı said that a collision involving Fabinho was initially discussed in the moment, but when it was reviewed later it was seen to be a second yellow card. On the penalty incident, he recalled that he had already been substituted off at the time and said he found the decision hard to understand. Arguing that the red card situation could have changed the course of the match, the player said the team wants to focus on its own mistakes rather than the refereeing debate.

After the match, Antalyalı said the two days that followed were not easy and that not getting a reward for their play was disappointing. Noting that the Kocaelispor match on Saturday will be a difficult away game, the player said they respect the opponent but want to show the necessary fight on the pitch and finally get a result.