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

Fresh off the back of suffering their first league defeat of the year, Trabzonspor go head-to-head with Gaziantep at the Gaziantep Stadium in round 23 of the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday.

Meanwhile, having failed to win any of the last 14 meetings between the two teams, the hosts will head into the weekend aiming to snap a dire 17-year run in this fixture and secure consecutive home victories for the first time since September.

Match preview

Gaziantep continue to blow hot and cold in the New Year, with the Falcons suffering a 3-0 humbling defeat against Kocaelispor when the two sides squared off at the Yildiz Entegre Kocaeli Stadium last Sunday.

With Nazim Sangare receiving his marching orders shortly after the half-time break, Kocaelispor made the most of their numerical advantage, as Daniel Agyei, Serdar Dursun and Rigoberto Rivas hit the target to cap off a dominant team display.

Prior to that, Gaziantep thrashed 1. Lig side Keciorengucu 5-1 on February 5 to move into second place in Group C of the Turkiye Kupasi, four days before securing a 2-1 comeback victory over Kasimpasa to snap their run of seven consecutive league games without a win.

Having finished just two spots above the drop zone last term, Burak Yilmaz’s men have rooted themselves in mid-table comfort this season with 28 points from their 22 games to sit ninth in the Super Lig standings, 10 points clear of trouble.

While home comfort awaits Gaziantep, who have picked up two wins and one draw from their three matches at the Gaziantep Stadium this year, they now face the daunting challenge of an opposing side whom they have failed to get the better of in any of their last 14 attempts, losing eight and claiming six draws since January 2009.

On the other hand, Trabzonspor were condemned to their first Super Lig defeat since the turn of the year last Saturday, when they were beaten 3-2 at the Senol Gunes Spor Complex Papara Park by title-chasing Fenerbahce.

With both sides deadlocked at 2-2 after an action-packed first half, it was Marco Asensio who settled to tie with a 48th-minute strike, as Fenerbahce held firm to secure their fourth win on the spin and extend their unbeaten record in the league.

Trabzonspor had gone unbeaten in each of their previous seven matches across all competitions since January’s 4-1 loss against Galatasaray in the Super Kupa semi-finals, picking up one draw and five wins, including consecutive victories over Istanbulspor and Fethiyespor in the Turkiye Kupasi, where they sit third in the table.

Having secured a seventh-placed finish in the Super Lig last term, Fatih Tekke’s men are well on course to secure European football this season as they sit third in the league standings with 45 points from 22 games, five points more than fifth-placed Besiktas just below the Conference League qualifying spot.

Central to Trabzonspor’s impressive league campaign has been the solid job done at the attacking end of the pitch, where they have the third-highest number of goals so far (43), with Paul Onuachu netting 16 in 19 appearances (18 starts) to lead the Golden Boot race.

Gaziantep Turkish Super Lig form:

Gaziantep form (all competitions):

Trabzonspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Trabzonspor form (all competitions):

Team News

Gaziantep remain without the services of midfielder Ali Mevran Ablak and French defender Salem M'Bakata, who continue their lengthy spells on the sidelines due to cruciate ligament injuries.

Veteran midfielder Badou N'Diaye has missed each of the last 10 matches since sustaining an injury in December and the 35-year-old will also play no part in this weekend’s tie.

Yilmaz will also be able to name experienced defender Sangare, who is set to serve a three-game suspension after picking up a straight red card against Kocaelispor last time out.

As for Trabzonspor, Oleksandr Zubkov has missed the last three matches since suffering a muscle injury against Antalyaspor back in January and the Ukrainian forward is ruled out of the trip to the Gaziantep Stadium.

He is joined on the club’s injury table by Bosnian midfielder Edin Visca, who has been out of action since sustaining a severe foot injury against Istanbul Basaksehir in November.

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Gorgen; Sorescu, Sanuc, Kizildag, Rodrigues; Kozlowski, Ozcicek; Dragus, Maxim, Lungoyi; Bayo

Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:

Onana; Pina, Nwaiwu, Batagov, Lovik; Oulai, Jabol-Folcarelli; Augusto, Muci, Eskihellac; Onuachu

We say: Gaziantep 0-2 Trabzonspor

Coming off last weekend’s defeat, Gaziantep and Trabzonspor will head into Sunday’s tie looking to make an immediate reaction and quickly return to winning ways.

Tekke’s men have been utterly dominant in this fixture, and while we expect Gaziantep to put up a fight in front of their home fans, we predict the visitors will do just enough to come away with all three points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.