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During the 13th week of the Turkish Super Lig, Besiktas hosted Samsunspor at Tupras Stadium, where a wounded seagull unexpectedly entered the pitch, briefly delaying the start of the match and capturing the attention of players and spectators.
Referee Atilla Karaoglan noticed the bird just before kickoff. Officials tried to remove the seagull, which appeared to have a leg injury, but were unsuccessful. As a result, the bird remained on the pitch when the match began.
During the game, the seagull was occasionally seen making short flights, its movements caught on camera, adding an unusual yet memorable element to the match.
The unusual incident immediately brought to mind the words of Besiktas’ Honorary President Suleyman Seba: “When I miss you, I will come to you as a seagull.”
Many fans saw the seagull on the field as a symbolic nod to Seba, especially since the match coincided with the 78th anniversary of his first goal at Inonu Stadium.
Despite the minor delay, the match continued as scheduled, with the seagull remaining on the pitch for several minutes, leaving a lasting impression on supporters.
The opening half remained goalless, with both sides creating limited clear-cut opportunities. Besiktas broke the deadlock in the 57th minute when Cengiz Under confidently converted a penalty, giving the home side the advantage.
Samsunspor responded in the 66th minute following a defensive lapse by Under, with Ndiaye leveling the score. Despite sustained pressure from both teams in the remaining minutes, neither could secure a decisive goal and the encounter concluded in a 1-1 draw.
As a result, Besiktas moved up to 21 points, while Samsunspor advanced to 24 points, extending their unbeaten run to nine matches, underscoring their consistency in the Super Lig this season.
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