Two matches into the 2026/27 Süper Lig season, Çorum FK and Kasımpaşa both sit on one point after opening draws and arrive at the Çorum Şehir Stadyumu wanting the same thing. Çorum's 2-2 at Galatasaray on 14 August was a strong result for a side that only won promotion in May, while Kasımpaşa matched it with a 1-1 draw against Trabzonspor. Neither team has lost but neither has won either.
Uğur Uçar has been at Çorum since 17 February 2026, replacing Hüseyin Eroğlu, while Emre Belözoğlu took the Kasımpaşa job on 5 December 2025 after Shota Arveladze departed. The two haven't clashed enough times to draw any real conclusions about how their tactical approaches match up.
Çorum's draw at Galatasaray suggested Uçar has them organised to sit deep and absorb pressure before transitioning quickly, a reasonable template for a side in their first Süper Lig season, while Kasımpaşa showed similar defensive discipline against Trabzonspor.
Two absences will shape this game in different ways. Çorum centre-back Hrvoje Smolčić is doubtful after picking up a knock against Galatasaray, which matters because he organises the back line and losing him forces Uçar into a defensive reshuffle with very little notice. Kasımpaşa are without Kamil Ahmet Çörekçi, ruled out since suffering an Achilles tendon rupture on 8 August, meaning Belözoğlu loses his right flank outlet and one of his main set piece delivery options from that side.
Çorum are likely to line up in a 4-1-4-1 built around staying solid and transitioning quickly, with the holding midfielder protecting the centre-backs and the wide midfielders given licence to push forward. If Smolčić misses out, they may sit even deeper to compensate, which invites Kasımpaşa forward but also gives the hosts more room on the break.
Kasımpaşa will probably go with a 4-2-3-1 or similar and with Çörekçi out, someone else has to step up on the right, which could determine how much they actually generate on that flank. Without Smolčić, the more vulnerable area for Çorum is likely to be central or at set pieces rather than wide, since his role is organising the defensive line and whether Kasımpaşa's forwards can exploit that structural disruption in behind will matter more than which flank they attack down. That same absence may encourage Kasımpaşa to push more men into the final third, opening space on the break for Çorum and that kind of mutual vulnerability tends to produce goals.
There isn't much historical record to draw on since Çorum are newly promoted and lower division results don't tell you much about how these squads will approach each other under new management.
Set pieces could matter more than usual given the personnel missing on both sides. Kasımpaşa without Çörekçi lose their right side delivery, pushing their corner and free kick routines toward the left or into short corner situations, while Çorum will look to exploit any organisational gaps from Smolčić's replacement, particularly if they can win aerial duels near goal.
We're going for a 2-2 draw. Çorum should be competitive at home with their defensive structure largely intact and their counter attacking shape, which worked at Galatasaray, remaining so but Smolčić's potential absence leaves a clear weakness that Kasımpaşa can target with forwards running in behind. Their own lack of width through Çörekçi means they are unlikely to pull away, though. A 2-2 draw.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
