Preview: Fatih Karagumruk vs Kasimpasa - prediction, team news, lineups

Fatih Karagumruk will aim to build on their first victory of the Turkish Super Lig campaign when they welcome Kasimpasa to the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium on Saturday.

The newly-promoted side produced an eye-catching performance before the international break, coming from behind to seal a dramatic 2-1 away win over Antalyaspor, earning their first points of the season at the third attempt.

Match preview

Fatih Karagumruk’s return to the top flight started on a difficult note, suffering defeats to reigning champions Galatasaray (3-0) and Goztepe (2-0).

However, Marcel Licka’s men showed resilience in their third outing, overturning an early deficit at Antalyaspor, with Anil Yigit Cinar levelling in the first half before Daniel Johnson struck deep into stoppage time to secure a morale-boosting win for Kara Kirmizi.

That result represents an early statement of intent for the Istanbul outfit, who will prioritise survival this season, but now the task shifts to producing similar results at home, having lost their only previous fixture at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium against Goztepe.

Their recent record against Saturday’s opponents offers encouragement, with Fatih suffering just one defeat in their last six meetings with Kasimpasa, winning three and drawing two.

Interestingly, that solitary defeat came in this very fixture during the 2023-24 campaign, when the visitors edged a 3-2 thriller at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.

Kasimpasa will be desperate for a repeat outcome, given their poor start to the season, as Shota Arveladze’s men, who finished 10th last term, are currently second-bottom after three matches.

The Apaches remain one of only two sides yet to collect a point in this campaign, alongside newly-promoted Genclerbirligi, a company the visitors did not hope to find themselves.

Kasimpasa opened with a 2-1 defeat at Antalyaspor, before back-to-back home losses to Trabzonspor (1-0) and Gaziantep (3-2), leaving them in urgent need of a turnaround.

For Arveladze, Saturday marks his first return to Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium since his dismissal during Fatih’s relegation campaign, and he will be determined to make it a successful homecoming.

Fatih Karagumruk Turkish Super Lig form:

Fatih Karagumruk form (all competitions):

Kasimpasa Turkish Super Lig form:

Kasimpasa form (all competitions):

Team News

Both sides approach this clash with full squads available, giving their managers ample flexibility in selection.

Fatih will welcome back Marius Tresor Doh, who has served his two-match suspension following his red card against Galatasaray.

His return presents a tactical decision for Licka, who must choose between reinstating the three-man midfield used on opening day or sticking with the 4-4-2 that delivered their first win.

For Kasimpasa, summer arrival Habib Gueye has been a rare positive in an otherwise disappointing start so far.

The Senegalese striker has already scored twice and is expected to lead the line once more, as Arveladze leans towards his preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:

Grbic; Kurukalip, Balkovec, Kurucuk, Cankaya; Kalayci, Demirol, Johnson, Sivri; Cukur, Gray

Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:

Gianniotis; Muratoglu, Opoku, Szalai, Espinoza; Baldursson, Cafu; Ouanes, Fall, Hajradinovic; Gueye

We say: Fatih Karagumruk 1-0 Kasimpasa

The victory at Antalyaspor will provide a huge boost to Fatih’s confidence and could prove to be a turning point in their season – riding that momentum, this feels like the perfect moment for Kara Kirmizi to welcome a struggling Kasimpasa to their home ground, with the backing of their supporters adding another layer of encouragement.

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