LNZ Cherkasy vs Göztepe

The game at FTC Lesce in Slovenia was barely 15 minutes old when Göztepe took the lead. Defender Noah Sonko-Sundberg found the net in the 15th minute, giving the Turkish Süper Lig side an early advantage they carried into half-time.

LNZ head coach Vitaliy Ponomaryov made three changes at the break, introducing Kody David, Dmytro Ledvii and Yevhen Tverdokhlib for Dmytro Kravchuk, Kyrylo Samoylenko and Talles Brener. Göztepe also swapped Sonko-Sundberg and Janderson for Allan Godói and Amin Cherni.

The tactical reshuffle did not produce the desired response. Cherni doubled Göztepe's lead in the 55th minute, scoring just nine minutes after entering the fray. LNZ made further changes — six more substitutions across the second half — but could not find a way past Göztepe goalkeeper Arda Özçimen.

A late yellow card for an unnamed LNZ player (86th minute) rounded off a frustrating afternoon for the Ukrainian side.

Sonko-Sundberg's 15th-minute opener set the tone. LNZ had conceded only twice across their four previous pre-season friendlies (a combined 13-2 aggregate), and falling behind so early forced them out of their rhythm. The Cherkasy side created opportunities but lacked the cutting edge that had brought them 13 goals in their prior four outings.

Noah Sonko-Sundberg (Göztepe) — The Swedish defender opened the scoring with a well-taken 15th-minute goal and set the defensive tone before being substituted at half-time.

Amin Cherni (Göztepe) — The substitute needed only nine minutes on the pitch to double the lead, scoring in the 55th minute to effectively kill the contest.

Arda Özçimen (Göztepe) — The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet against a LNZ attack that had scored 13 goals in four pre-season matches.

Kody David (LNZ Cherkasy) — Introduced at half-time, the hero of the MTK Budapest win (59th-minute goal on 11 July) tried to spark a comeback but could not find the net this time.

LNZ entered this match on a four-game winning streak across 13 days of pre-season, having scored 6 against Sturm Graz (30 June), 2 against Koper (5 July), 4 against MTK Budapest (11 July) and 1 against Olimpija Ljubljana (11 July). That 13-2 aggregate suggested a well-oiled attacking machine, but Göztepe — a side that finished 6th in the Süper Lig last season — proved a sterner test. The Turkish side's discipline in defence and efficiency in front of goal contrasted sharply with LNZ's wastefulness on the day.

LNZ Cherkasy conclude their Slovenia training camp with a 4-1-0 record in pre-season friendlies (four wins, one defeat). They will now turn their attention to the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round, where they face Belgian side KAA Gent. The first leg is scheduled for the week commencing 21 July 2026.

Göztepe continue their own pre-season preparations in Slovenia. The Izmir-based club will be aiming for a stronger Süper Lig campaign in 2026/27 after their 6th-placed finish last term.

The scoreline was a fair reflection of Göztepe's superior efficiency in front of goal. LNZ had won four friendlies on the bounce but met a sharper, more clinical opponent here. Ponomaryov will have learned more from this defeat than from any of the wins — the question is whether those lessons are absorbed before the Conference League qualifier against Gent.