Preview: Samsunspor vs Caykur Rizespor - prediction, team news, lineups

Samsunspor can extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight matches when they welcome Caykur Rizespor to the Samsun 19 Mayis Stadyumu on Monday, rounding off round 10 of the Turkish Super Lig.

The Red Lightning will hope to replicate their impressive European form on the domestic stage, as they aim to banish the memories of their last home meeting with Rizespor.

Match preview

Samsunspor head into this clash brimming with confidence after a commanding 3-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, making it two wins from two in continental competition.

The Turkish side have been excellent in Europe, scoring four goals without conceding, but their league form has been less straightforward, with too many draws preventing them from climbing higher up the table.

Only Kayserispor (six) have recorded more stalemates than Thomas Reis’s side, with four of their nine Super Lig fixtures ending level.

Nevertheless, Samsunspor deserve credit for balancing domestic and European commitments effectively, and they currently sit just one point outside the top four with 16 points and have gone five league matches unbeaten (2W, 3D).

Their most recent league outing saw them claim a convincing 3-1 victory over Kayserispor, and they now prepare for a fixture that rarely ends in a draw — none of the last five competitive meetings between these sides have been shared, with Samsunspor winning three and Rizespor two.

Rizespor will look to replicate their remarkable 3-2 triumph in this fixture last February, when they came from two goals down to snatch victory — a result that remains one of their standout performances in recent memory.

However, Ilhan Palut’s men have found consistency hard to come by this season, winning just twice and losing four of their opening nine league matches, while they have failed to win any of their last two and currently sit just two points above the relegation zone with nine points.

The Black Sea outfit were held to a goalless draw at home by struggling Istanbul Basaksehir in midweek, a match rescheduled from round three – a game where the opposition created more chances.

However, Rizespor will take encouragement from their previous away performance — a resounding 5-2 win at Antalyaspor that accounted for half of their total league goals, and will look to build on that on the road.

Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Samsunspor form (all competitions):

Caykur Rizespor Turkish Super Lig form:

Team News

Samsunspor have suffered a blow with French winger Tanguy Coulibaly ruled out for several weeks after sustaining a lateral ligament tear in his left knee during the win over Dynamo Kyiv.

The 24-year-old joins Olivier Ntcham, Bedirhan Cetin, Soner Aydogdu and Ebrima Ceesay on the injury list, though the rest of the squad is available for selection.

Marius Mouandilmadji, Carlo Holse and Anthony Musaba were all on the scoresheet in their most recent league outing, and the trio will again be expected to make the difference.

Musaba remains a key creative force, leading the Super Lig for big chances created this season (7), while Holse’s fine form continues — the Danish forward has scored three goals in his last two matches.

Rizespor, meanwhile, are without Ibrahim Olawoyin, Halil Dervisoglu and Valentin Mihaila, all sidelined through injury.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Loide Augusto and goalkeeper Yahia Fofana are available again after missing the Basaksehir fixture due to ineligibility, having not been registered at the original time of that match.

Qazim Laci, who has created the most big chances for Rizespor this season (4), and Altin Zeqiri, the side’s most accurate shooter with 1.2 shots on target per game, will be crucial to the visitors’ attacking threat.

Ali Sowe started the midweek draw - his first start in three matches - and he will hope to repay the manager's faith in him with a goal if he retains his spot as the focal point of the attack.

Samsunspor possible starting lineup:

Kocuk; Yavru, Satka, Van Drongelen, Tomasson; Makoumbou; Musaba, Holse, Yuksel, Kilinic; Ndiaye

Caykur Rizespor possible starting lineup:

Canpolat; Sahin, Mocsi, Akaydin, Nielsen; Papanikolaou, Laci; Zeqiri, Buljubasic, Bulut; Sowe

We say: Samsunspor 2-1 Caykur Rizespor

Samsunspor are a well-structured side, and though they have struggled to convert draws into wins quite a number of times, they still show flashes of their attacking brilliance especially at home, and that is why they have the edge over Rizespor in this clash.

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