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

Still searching for their opening points of the new Super Lig season, Kasimpasa welcome Gaziantep to the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadyumu on Saturday evening.

Both sides have endured mixed fortunes in the early weeks, with the hosts winless so far and their visitors buoyed by their first victory of the campaign.

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Match preview

Kasimpasa currently sit 15th in the table, having lost both of their opening fixtures while conceding three goals.

They began the campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Antalyaspor, where goals from Guray Vural and Nikola Storm proved decisive, despite Pape Habib Gueye finding the net for Kasimpasa.

Against Trabzonspor, they once again came up short, falling to a 75th-minute strike from Felipe Augusto that condemned them to another narrow defeat.

Including pre-season, the Apaciler are now winless in four matches, scoring just three times across that run. 

Last season, Shota Arveladze’s men finished 10th with a record of 11 wins, 14 draws and 11 defeats, but they will hope to climb higher this season.

Gaziantep, meanwhile, picked up their first three points of the season last time out with a 2-1 victory over Genclerbirligi, and Burak Yilmaz’s men will now be looking to build momentum.

Despite that result, they remain 10th with three points from three games, having already conceded seven goals - the joint-highest in the league alongside Eyupspor.

Their defensive frailties were exposed in back-to-back defeats, first in a 3-0 loss to Galatasaray - where goalkeeper Mustafa Burak Bozan was sent off and the side conceded two penalties.

They suffered another 3-0 defeat against Konyaspor, with Alassane Ndao, Yhoan Andzouana and Danijel Aleksic on the scoresheet.

In the last 10 meetings between the sides, Kasimpasa hold the edge with four victories to Gaziantep’s three, while three matches have ended level.

Saturday’s clash will carry extra significance for Yilmaz, who will be facing his former employers for the first time since resigning in June, having managed Kasimpasa from January until the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

If they are to climb the table, Gaziantep must improve at both ends of the pitch; tightening up defensively, avoiding costly fouls in dangerous areas, and becoming more clinical in front of goal.

Kasimpasa Turkish Super Lig form:

LL

Gaziantep Turkish Super Lig form:

LLW

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Team News

Kasimpasa’s new signing Pape Habib Gueye, who scored on his debut, is expected to lead the line once again, with Haris Hajradinovic providing creativity from midfield.

Claudio Winck was stretchered off against Trabzonspor and is out of this encounter, while 17-year-old Berkay Muratoglu could be in line for his first minutes.

The Apaciler lost their top scorer Nuno Da Costa, who struck 13 league goals last season, on a free transfer to Istanbul Basaksehir, and the lack of a consistent goalscorer has already been evident this season.

New arrival Godfried Frimpong and Sarp Yavrucu, promoted from the Under-19s, will be pushing for minutes.

For Gaziantep, Bozan keeps his place in goal after returning from suspension last game.

Ali Mevran Ablak remains sidelined with a long-term cruciate ligament injury, while right-back Salem M’Bakata has been ruled out for the season.

Captain Alexandru Maxim and Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Boateng are expected to spearhead the attack once more.

Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:

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

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Bozan; Kizildag, Abena, Rodrigues; Sorescu, Ndiaye, Kozlowski, Lungoyi; Ozcicek, Maxim; Boateng

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We say: Kasimpasa 1-1 Gaziantep

Recent form suggests that goals will come but clean sheets will not, with both Kasimpasa and Gaziantep showing familiar frailties in key moments. 

We are therefore backing a 1-1 draw, a result that would reflect their current struggles to find consistency at either end of the pitch.

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

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