Bitlis 1916 Football Club advanced to the fourth qualifying round of the Turkish Cup after beating Metro Holding Kayserispor 4-1 in the third round. The match, played at Bitlis Eren Stadium on Thursday, October 29, 2026, ended with a convincing home victory despite the gap between the teams’ league levels. The Turkish Football Federation’s official record confirms a 1:30 p.m. kickoff and lists İlker Yasin Avcı as the referee.
Bitlis 1916 took control before halftime
Bitlis 1916, which competes in Group 3 of the TFF Third League, opened the scoring through Ali Akkuş in the 30th minute. The home side maintained its pressure and doubled the lead when Muhammet Arslantaş scored in the 45th minute, sending Bitlis into halftime with a 2-0 advantage. Independent match reports said Kayserispor fielded a squad featuring many young players, but that context does not alter the four-goal performance produced by the hosts.
The direction of the match did not change after the break. Halil Yılmaz made it 3-0 in the 53rd minute. Kayserispor pulled one back in the 62nd minute when Bitlis player Mert Denizli put the ball into his own net. Bitlis 1916 responded before the finish, with Enes İslam İlkin scoring in the 80th minute to establish the final 4-1 score.
The scoring sequence showed that the home side sustained its output across both halves. Bitlis scored twice before the interval and twice after it. When Kayserispor reduced the deficit to two goals, the hosts delivered the final response and removed any realistic prospect of a comeback. The federation record also contains the starting lineups, substitutions and officiating team.
Kayserispor eliminated from the cup
The result sent Bitlis 1916 into the fourth qualifying round and eliminated Kayserispor, a club competing in the TFF First League. Because a lower-division side knocked out a higher-level opponent by three goals, the match became one of the notable upsets of the third round. For Bitlis, the victory was more than a place in the next stage; it also underlined the uncertainty built into single-match cup ties.
Four different players scored Bitlis 1916’s four goals, showing that the home team’s attacking output was not dependent on one player. Kayserispor’s only goal came from an opposition own goal, reinforcing the overall pattern of the match. The TFF record and reports from beIN SPORTS, Sözcü and Habertürk agree on the final score, the qualification outcome and the principal scoring details.
The teams’ current league positions require precise description. Bitlis 1916 plays in the TFF Third League, while Kayserispor competes in the TFF First League. This was therefore not the elimination of a Süper Lig club. It was a victory by a third-tier side over an opponent one level above it in Türkiye’s professional football pyramid.
Fourth-round draw comes next
The Turkish Cup fourth qualifying-round draw is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Bitlis 1916’s next opponent will be determined by that draw. No opponent, match date or venue can therefore be stated at this stage.
Kayserispor’s cup campaign ended in the third round, leaving the team to return its focus to the league. For Bitlis 1916, the 4-1 win stands out both for the margin and for the fact that the defeated opponent plays one professional tier above. The result gives the Bitlis side a high-profile place in the next round while adding another upset to the Turkish Cup’s tradition of lower-league teams challenging more established clubs.
