Preview:Caykur Rizespor vs Kasimpasa - prediction, team news, lineups

Caykur Rizespor will be aiming to end their five-game winless run against Kasimpasa when both sides clash at Caykur Didi Stadium on Sunday in the Turkish Super Lig.

The Black Sea outfit have struggled in this fixture in recent years, failing to win any of the last five meetings with the Apaches, losing three and drawing two in that stretch.

Match preview

Rizespor endured a poor start to the season with just a point from their first three matches, but Ilhan Palut’s men have shown signs of improvement in their last two outings.

The Black Sea Sparrowhawk finally got off the mark with a 1-0 victory over Genclerbirligi, though they could not build on that momentum, drawing 1-1 with Kocaelispor after conceding a penalty deep into first-half stoppage time that cancelled out Ibrahim Olawoyin’s opener.

Despite a flat display – in which they scored from their only shot on target while allowing Kocaelispor six – Palut viewed the draw as a positive outcome, considering how limited his side looked on the day.

Rizespor will hope the home crowd can incite a better performance from the team, as the Black Sea side have been decent on their soil for a while, having ended last season with four straight home wins, while their start at Caykur Didi has been mixed with one win and one defeat, though they have not beaten Kasimpasa in front of their fans in the last two attempts.

Kasimpasa, meanwhile, can match their best run in this fixture since 2019-20 with a third successive win, having already beaten Rizespor in their last two meetings.

Like their hosts, Shota Arveladze’s men have recovered from a dreadful start with three straight losses, and are now unbeaten in their last three games.

A 1-0 win over Fatih Karagumruk was followed by a goalless draw against Samsunspor, before a spirited 1-1 result against Fenerbahce last time out, despite conceding early and going down to 10 men.

Fenerbahce struck through Marco Asensio in the third minute, and things worsened for Kasimpasa when Cafu was sent off before the break – yet the Apaches showed fight, and Haris Hajradinovic’s equaliser in the 64th minute secured a well-earned point.

Arveladze will hope that resilience continues in Rize, especially as his side have often enjoyed good results at this ground, with four points from their last two away games providing added belief.

Caykur Rizespor Turkish Super Lig form:

Kasimpasa Turkish Super Lig form:

Team News

Centre-back Khusniddin Alikulov is the only fitness concern in an otherwise full-strength Rizespor squad, with Palut expected to maintain his preferred 4-2-3-1 setup.

Palut was openly critical of striker Ali Sowe after the last outing, insisting the Gambian “needs to get his act together,” so it remains to be seen whether he will keep faith with him in the starting XI.

As for Kasimpasa, Cafu begins a two-match suspension after his red card against Fenerbahce, with the TFF’s Professional Football Disciplinary Board also handing him a fine of 53,500 liras (£960).

On the injury front, Yusuf Barasi is still sidelined with a hamstring issue, and is not expected back in the team until next month.

Caykur Rizespor possible starting lineup:

Fofana; Sahin, Akaydin, Sagnan, Hojer; Papanikolaou, Olawoyin; Zeqiri, Laci, Augusto; Dervisoglu

Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:

Gianniotis; Winck, Opoku, Arous Frimpong; Baldursson, Ustundag; Ouanes, Fall, Kol; Gueye

We say: Caykur Rizespor 1-1 Kasimpasa

Both sides come into this clash looking improved after shaky starts, and the balance between them points towards a stalemate – while Rizespor will lean on their home support, their struggles in recent meetings with Kasimpasa cannot be ignored, coupled with how the visitors have shown resilience in recent weeks, especially with their fightback against Fenerbahce.

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