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

Konyaspor return to Super Lig action on Saturday afternoon when they host Kocaelispor, hoping to resume from the international break with a home win.

The Anatolian Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw away at Kasimpasa just before the break; however, they will be keen to stamp their authority against a visiting side buoyed by their first league win of the campaign.

Match preview

Konyaspor started brightly against Kasimpasa, going ahead through Jackson Muleka’s fine finish in the 22nd minute, but they struggled to deal with second-half pressure and eventually conceded midway through the half, settling for a point in Istanbul.

Having begun the season with back-to-back victories, the Eagles have since experienced mixed fortunes – still, they have steadied themselves with a win over Istanbul Basaksehir and the draw at Kasimpasa, leaving them eighth in the standings with 11 points and a game in hand.

Head coach Recep Ucar will be relatively pleased with that start, but the upcoming schedule is demanding, as his team face five matches in just over two weeks, including league clashes with Besiktas, Genclerbirligi, and Samsunspor, plus a Turkish Cup tie against fourth-tier side Bingolspor.

Goals have not been a problem for Konyaspor, who boast the joint-second-highest tally in the league (13) – their main concern, however, is at the back, having managed only one clean sheet all season and they must tighten up defensively to sustain momentum.

Interestingly, Konyaspor have enjoyed total dominance over Kocaelispor in recent meetings, winning all of their last three without conceding, the most recent being a second-division encounter in 2010.

Kocaelispor will aim to end that run, entering this game on the back of their long-awaited first victory, a 1-0 triumph over Eyupspor, sealed by Bruno Petkovic’s late penalty.

That win was a relief for Selcuk Inan’s men, who had collected just two points from their opening seven matches, and the result lifted them off the bottom and out of the relegation zone, even if only marginally.

Now, the focus shifts to improving away form, as Kocaelispor have lost all four league games on the road this season, conceding nine goals and scoring only twice.

Inan acknowledged the team’s attacking struggles, urging his players to show more efficiency in front of goal as the coaching staff continue to work on solutions.

Only Eyupspor (4) have scored fewer goals than Kocaelispor (5) in the Super Lig so far, while the Gulf side also rank lowest in expected goals (6.2xG) — figures that must change if they hope to challenge Konyaspor this weekend.

Konyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Kocaelispor Turkish Super Lig form:

Team News

Konyaspor approach this clash with a clean bill of health and no suspensions, giving coach Ucar a full squad to choose from as they look to build momentum after the international break.

Senegalese winger Alassane Ndao, who ranks second for big chances created in the Super Lig this season (4), is expected to provide the creative spark in one of the two attacking midfield roles behind the main striker.

Up front, Turkish forward Umut Nayir is set to lead the line once again, and the 32-year-old has been in good form, contributing three goals and one assist this season.

Ucar is expected to stick with his favoured back-three system despite his side’s inability to keep a clean sheet in their last five matches, as Adil Demirbag, Marko Jevtovic, and Ugurcan Yazgili are all likely to retain their places in defence.

The hosts will also be boosted by the return of Enis Bardhi, who is available for selection again after serving his suspension for a red card received against Basaksehir.

For Kocaelispor, manager Inan faces several challenges ahead of the trip to Konya, as the coach revealed during his pre-match press conference that five of his players will be returning late from international duty and may feature with little to no training.

Inan also confirmed that left-back Massadio Haidara has suffered another injury setback, while Macedonian forward Darko Churlinov remains unavailable, and midfield loanee Show will miss the game through suspension after accumulating too many yellow cards.

Elsewhere, defender Mateusz Wieteska, on loan from Cagliari, continues his recovery from a serious knee injury suffered on the opening weekend, with his return not expected until April next year.

Forward Daniel Agyei, who missed the victory over Eyupspor due to injury, faces a late fitness test to determine his availability, while Ahmet Sagat remains out, having not featured in the matchday squad since the opening weekend.

Konyaspor possible starting lineup:

Ertas; Yazgili, Jevtovic, Demirbag; Andzouana, Bardhi, Ibrahimoglu, Guilherme; Ndao, Muleka; Nayir

Kocaelispor possible starting lineup:

Jovanovic; Dijksteel, Balogh, Smolcic, Cinan; Linetty, Keita; Rivas, Bingol, Keles; Petkovic

We say: Konyaspor 1-0 Kocaelispor

Konyaspor have made a solid start to the season by their standards, showing impressive attacking form that has kept them competitive in most games.

While Kocaelispor will carry renewed confidence from their recent victory, their ongoing struggles in attack could resurface here, making it likely that Konyaspor’s superior firepower will see them edge this encounter.

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