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

Two sides struggling for form in the Turkish Super Lig will lock horns at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadyumu on Friday, as Kasimpasa host Samsunspor in a fixture where both teams are desperate for a win.

The hosts are winless in their last six league matches, while the visitors arrive having failed to record a Super Lig victory in seven outings, underlining the significance of this encounter for two teams in need of momentum.

Match preview

Kasimpasa endured a disappointing first half of the campaign, spending much of it flirting with the relegation zone, and their fortunes have not improved at the start of the second phase of the season as they are yet to win in 2026, failing to pick up maximum points in either of their two league matches so far.

A 2-1 defeat away to Trabzonspor last time out extended their winless league run to six matches (3D, 3L), and while that result saw them end a four-game goal drought, Emre Belozoglu is still searching for his first victory since replacing Shota Arveladze last month, having overseen five of those six winless outings.

Kasimpasa sit 15th in the table with 16 points, just one point clear of the relegation zone, with their precarious position largely been driven by a lack of attacking threat, with only one side scoring fewer goals than their total of 15 this season.

The visit of Samsunspor may offer some encouragement, given the visitors’ own struggles, though the reverse fixture in September ending in a goalless draw, the Apaches are unbeaten in the last two meetings between the sides (1W, 1D), keeping clean sheets in both and scoring twice in the process.

That said, Samsunspor did record an emphatic 4-1 victory on their last visit to this ground, although their current form suggests replicating that result will be a tall order.

The Red Lightning are without a win in their last seven league matches (4D, 3L), most recently drawing 1-1 with Genclerbirligi before being held to a goalless stalemate by Kocaelispor.

Their troubles date back to late November, during which they have played 13 matches across all competitions, winning just twice — both victories coming in the Turkish Cup against Eyupspor and Aliaga — alongside five draws and six defeats.

That run has seen Thomas Reis’s side slip to seventh in the standings on 27 points from 19 matches, leaving them nine points adrift of the top four and a long way from matching last season’s third-place finish.

A lack of attacking spark has been central to their downturn in form, with Samsunspor managing just one goal in their last four league matches – still, they will take some confidence from keeping their first clean sheet in 13 matches across all competitions last time out.

Kasimpasa Turkish Super Lig form:

Kasimpasa form (all competitions):

Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Samsunspor form (all competitions):

Team News

Kasimpasa will again be without Haris Hajradinovic, who continues his recovery from a knee injury sustained in October, while Portuguese midfielder Cafu also remains sidelined.

Winter signing Kerem Demirbay is suspended after being sent off late in the defeat to Trabzonspor, while fellow new arrival Rodrigo Becao is a doubt after being forced off injured in the same match.

Samsunspor are expected to remain without Cetin Bedirhan and Tanguy Coulibaly, both of whom are recovering from knee injuries, while Afonso Sousa is ruled out with an ankle problem.

Emre Kilinc and Carlo Holse are also doubts after missing the last couple of matches, and Yalcin Kayan is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

The Red Lightning have signed winger Jaures Assoumou from Troyes, adding him to the list of players they have brought to the club this window.

Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:

Gianniotis; Winck, Arous, Opoku, Frimpong; Ouanes, Ustudang; Fall, Diabate, Kahveci; Kanatsızkus

Samsunspor possible starting lineup:

Kocuk; Yavru, Satka, Yuksel, Gonul; Makoumbu, van Drongelen; Tavsan, Ntcham, Assoumou; Marius

We say: Kasimpasa 1-1 Samsunspor

Both sides arrive low on confidence, and this fixture has the feel of a tight, tense battle rather than an open contest, with Kasimpasa’s lack of goals and Samsunspor’s prolonged winless run point towards a cautious approach from both managers.

While the hosts may take encouragement from recent head-to-head results, the visitors’ defensive improvement could help them avoid defeat, though a low-scoring draw looks the most likely outcome, with neither side doing quite enough to seize momentum.

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