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

Kocaelispor play host to Fatih Karagumruk on Saturday looking for the win that will keep them in the hunt for a top-half finish in the Super Lig table.

Meanwhile, Fatih Karagumruk make the trip to the Kocaeli Stadium knowing that only a victory will do if they want to remain with a chance of avoiding relegation.

Match preview

While Kocaelispor have stuttered of late, they will generally be delighted with how their first Super Lig campaign since 2008-09 has panned out.

Sitting nine points clear of the relegation zone with two matches remaining, Selcuk Inan and his players can relax, to a certain degree, during the closing two matches.

However, there will be a desire to end a seven-match winless streak that has ultimately cost them an opportunity to challenge for the top seven.

Instead, the 1-1 draw with Kasimpasa last time out has left them three points adrift of eighth, albeit with an inferior goal difference to the two teams above them.

Furthermore, Kocaelispor remain with the joint-second worst attacking record in the division, scoring just the 26 goals.

At the other end, however, they have only conceded three goals in five games, as well as recently posting a 1-1 draw with leaders Galatasaray.

As for Fatih Karagumruk, they have rallied during the closing weeks of the season, accumulating 11 points from their last seven fixtures.

Four points have also been collected from their last two matches, a goalless draw at Besiktas being followed by a 1-0 win over Genclerbirligi.

Nevertheless, only two more victories in a row will give them any chance of avoiding an immediate return to the second tier of Turkish football.

Their away form has proven pivotal. Just one win and six points have been collected from 16 away fixtures, albeit two of those points coming from the most recent four such encounters.

Kocaelispor Turkish Super Lig form:

L D D D L D

Fatih Karagumruk Turkish Super Lig form:

L W L L D W

Team News

Having provided the assist for Kocaelispor's goal at Kasimpasa, the recalled Serdar Dursun should keep his place down the centre of the attack.

Tayfur Bingol could get the nod over Joseph Nonge in midfield, but Inan is unlikely to make many alterations.

Leading marksman Bruno Petkovic has missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury.

Despite leading Genclerbirligi at half time, Aleksandar Stanojevic made two half-time changes to his Fatih Karagumruk side.

Therefore, Serginho and Sam Larsson are pushing for recalls in place of Ahmed Traore and Baris Kalayci respectively.

Tiago Cukur scored his first Super Lig goal since September in the previous fixture.

Kocaelispor possible starting lineup:

Oztasdelen; Oguz, Djiksteel, Show, Haidara; Susoho, Keita; Keles, Bingol, Agyei; Dursun

Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:

Grbic; Esgaio, Biraschi, Lichnovsky, Mladenovic; Ozcan, Kranevitter; Serginho, Larsson, Babicka; Cukur

We say: Kocaelispor 3-1 Fatih Karagumruk

With Kocaelispor safe from relegation and Karagumruk needing maximum points to stay in the hunt for survival, both teams will surely push hard for goals in this contest. However, we think that it will be the home side who come out on top, subsequently confirming Karagumruk's place back in the second tier in the process.

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