Preview: Gaziantep vs Kocaelispor - prediction, team news, lineups

A poor start to the Super Lig season appears to be turning around for Gaziantep, but they need to capitalise on the momentum when they host Kocaelispor on Sunday, September 14.

The newly-promoted team are still adjusting to life in the Turkish top flight, but their history at the Gaziantep Stadyumu can potentially inspire them to a positive result this weekend.

Match preview

It has been an interesting few months for Gaziantep, who started the Super Lig campaign with one manager, only to have Burak Yilmaz step in two weeks before the international break.

Ironically, it was Kocaelispor’s former boss, Ismet Tasdemir, who took over as manager of Gaziantep before the season commenced, but he spent just 48 days in the job before parting ways with the club.

Two defeats from their opening two league games were likely the reason the Falcons opted to bring in Yilmaz and his staff.

It has so far turned out to be a stroke of genius, with the 40-year-old bagging victories in both games he has been in charge of.

Yilmaz employs a 4-3-3 attacking formation, a more positive approach than Tasdemir’s 4-1-4-1, and it seems to be working for the hosts.

However, the Falcons must address their leaky defence because they currently have the worst backline in the division, conceding nine goals in just four games.

In the manager’s defence, six of those goals came when his predecessor was steering the ship, but those numbers will certainly encourage the travelling party.

Kocaelispor have also gone through a manager change, with Selcuk Inan taking over from Tasdemir at the end of last season, despite the former boss leading the club to the 1.Lig title and promotion to the Super Lig.

In another ironic twist, Inan was at the helm of Gaziantep from near the end of the 2023-24 season until he decided to leave in May 2025, after 48 games in charge.

There is a fair degree of familiarity between these clubs through the manager, which could come in handy as Kocaelispor aim to register their first win of the campaign.

Four games in, and the visitors have only managed a single point from a draw that snapped a three-match losing streak before the international break.

The situation appears precarious for the Gulf because they are flirting with relegation in 15th, but it would not be a surprise if they went back down, especially because they are playing top-flight football for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

Furthermore, they have not faced Gaziantep in league action for several years, but KS have failed to register a single head-to-head victory away from home in five attempts.

Gaziantep Turkish Super Lig form:

LLWW

Kocaelispor Turkish Super Lig form:

LLLD

Team News

Yilmaz has two long-term injuries to worry about, with Ali Mevran Ablak and Salem M'Bakata both tearing their cruciate ligament.

However, Gaziantep have made significant signings and have more than enough cover across the pitch, including right-back Luiz Perez, who recently joined on a free transfer from Real Valladolid.

Former Parma midfielder, Drissa Camara, has also come through the door to offer additional competition to the likes of Juninho Bacuna in midfield, but he may need to wait for his first start.

Club captain Alexandru Maxim has already been the bright spark for the hosts, registering three assists and a goal, all arriving in his last two appearances.

Emmanuel Boateng has led the line for the home side in the first three of four league matches without any returns, which means the fresh face of Mohamed Bayo could get the nod for his debut, after joining on a season-long loan from Lille.

For Kocaelispor, Ahmet Oguz and Massadio Haidara will miss out through injury, leaving the right-back and left-back positions vacant.

New signing Mateusz Wieteska is also nursing a knee injury, but that leaves the door open for Botond Balogh to get his first appearance for the club, after joining on loan from Parma.

The visitors have only scored two goals in the Super Lig so far, both of them coming from Bruno Petkovic, who has hit the ground running after his free transfer from Dinamo Zagreb, which means he will be key to unlocking the home defence on Sunday.

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Bozan; Perez, Abena, Kizildag; Sorescu, Kabasakal, Ozcicek, Rodrigues; Bacuna, Maxim, Bayo

Kocaelispor possible starting lineup:

Jovanovic; Balogh, Appindangoye, Syrota, Cinan; Bingol, Show, Nonge; Keles, Mendes, Petkovic