Two teams who could really do with a win, albeit for very different reasons, lock horns at the Kadir Has Stadium on Sunday as Kayserispor entertain the challenge of Kasimpasa.
The away side have little margin for error from here on out if they are to keep their already faint chances of securing European football alive, while the hosts are currently embroiled in a relegation battle.
Match preview
© Imago
After going four games without a victory to start the year, Kayserispor's top-flight status was put in real jeopardy, although they have since somewhat got themselves back on track with five wins and a draw from the subsequent eight matches.
Fresh off the back of claiming their biggest victory of the season with a 5-0 demolition of Hatayspor, Sergej Jakirovic's men made light work of Adana Demirspor en route to a 2-0 triumph thanks to goals in either half from Kartal Yilmaz and Stephane Bahoken.
Friday's win at the Yeni Adama Stadyumu, coupled with Sivasspor's stalemate against Caykur Rizespor, has seen the Anatolian Stars move up to 15th in the Turkish Super Lig table, two points clear of the bottom four, having played one game fewer than 16th-placed Sivasspor.
Kayserispor will now attempt to win three games on the bounce for the first time this season and move further clear of the drop zone, and their recent record against Sunday's opponents should offer some optimism following six wins from the last nine encounters, including a 2-1 victory in the sides' opening meeting of the campaign.
Ahead of a daunting assignment against title hopefuls Fenerbahce, the home side will be keen to set the tone with a dominant display this weekend in the first of eight crucial remaining matches to preserve their decade-long stay in the first division.
© Imago
Having only just missed out on European football last season, where they finished fifth, Kasimpasa had continental qualification as their major target once again this term, although more disappointment on that front looks to be on the way.
Burak Yilmaz's men suffered the heartbreak of dropping points late on in their last outing against Besiktas as a second-half stoppage-time penalty from Gedson Fernandes cancelled out Mortadha Ben Ouanes's early strike to force a share of the spoils.
A win would have moved the Apaches within six points of Besiktas in fourth, albeit with one more game played, but Kasimpasa remain nine points behind their Istanbul counterparts with just under a quarter of the season left to play.
Given their tally of 50 goals scored, which is the most of any team outside the top two, Kasimpasa will point to their defensive deficiencies as the biggest letdown off the back of a whopping 53 goals conceded, the joint second-most in the division.
Despite a faint chance of success, Sunday's visitors will not be giving up their continental pursuit just yet and will know a victory this weekend is non-negotiable, although it is worth noting they boast just five wins from 15 league matches on the road so far.
Team News
© Imago
Gokhan Sazdagi was shown a straight red card in Kayserispor's 2-0 defeat to Adana Demirspor last time out and will serve a suspension this weekend.
Anthony Uzodimma (knee) and Hasan Ali Kaldirim (foot) will also miss out for the home side, although the latter is drawing increasingly closer to a return to action.
Cafu and Nicholas Opoku are both ineligible to play any part in this one due to an accumulation of yellow cards, while Ali Emre Yanar is nursing a muscle problem.
Thirty-year-old Mortadha Ben Ouanes has been directly involved in two of his side's last three goals and will be looking to deliver the goods for the away side once again.
Kayserispor possible starting lineup:
Bayazit; Carole, Kolovetsios, Hosseini, Ackah; Yilmaz, Attamah; Cardoso, Bourabia, Civelek; Bahoken
Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:
Gianniotis; Ozcan, Opoku, Piatkowski; Espinoza, Hajradinovic, Kara, Ben Ouanes, Rodrigues; Keles, Fall
We say: Kayserispor 1-1 Kasimpasa
Kasimpasa have often dominated this fixture of late, but their away record this season has been nothing to write home about.
We can see the teams cancelling each other out to settle for a share of the spoils in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adepoju Marvellous
