Konyaspor will be looking to consolidate second place in the Super Lig when they travel to the Ataturk Olympic Stadium to face Faith Karagumruk on Saturday.
The hosts have won only one of their last five league matches on home soil, while the visitors have come away with all three points in just one of their last six games on the road.
Match preview
Faith Karagumruk suffered their second successive league defeat this season and their fifth in total when they were beaten 3-1 away against Giresunspor last weekend.
Despite leading at half time through Aleksandar Pesic's 28th-minute strike, the hosts turned the game on its head after the break with goals from Souleymane Doukara (2) and Ibrahima Balde securing all three points.
Francesco Farioli's side are currently sitting eighth in the Super Lig standings, the same position as they were at this stage last season but with one extra point.
The Black-Red – who were competing in the third tier of Turkish football just three seasons ago – are just four points behind the Europa League qualification spots and are comfortably sitting eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Karagumruk claimed all three points against Konyaspor last season when they won 2-1 in January, but they are set to be in for a more challenging contest this weekend against a side currently sitting in the Champions League places.
Konyaspor's hopes of closing in on league leaders Trabzonspor have been dealt a blow over the last few weeks, after their 3-2 defeat against Gaziantep was followed by a goalless draw at home against relegation-threatened Yeni Malatyaspor last weekend.
The Anatolian Eagles have now slipped 12 points behind the summit, and are clinging on to second place by goal difference ahead of Turkish giants Fenerbahce in third.
Despite their recent wobble, Ilhan Palut's men are performing much better in comparison to last season, sitting eight points and 10 places better off than at this stage in 2020-21.
One major positive for Konyaspor this campaign has been their defensive resilience, with goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic keeping six clean sheets, more than any other in the division.
The Anatolian Eagles cruised to a 5-1 victory at home against Karagumruk in May and they will be confident of more success this weekend against a side who have conceded in each of their last seven Super Lig matches.
- L
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
- D
- W
- W
- L
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- D
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- D
Team News
Karagumruk will be without Fabio Borini (muscle), Kerim Frei (knock), Medhi Benatia (muscle) and Burak Bekaroglu (shoulder) due to injury.
Former Borussia Dortmund youngster Emre Mor is set to keep his place in the starting lineup on the right flank in Borini's absence, with Yann Karamoh to operate on the opposite flank.
Jimmy Durmaz, Andrea Bertolacci and Lucas Biglia are all expected to retain their places in centre-midfield, with the latter to sit just in front of the back four.
As for Konyaspor, they have a clean bill of health, so Palut has a fully fit squad to choose from for this weekend's game.
Top goalscorer Sokol Cikalleshi, who has netted five times this term, is set to lead the line and he could be supported in attack by wingers Serdar Gurler and Zymer Bytyqi.
Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:
Viviano; Hedenstad, Zukanovic, Luckassen, Erkin; Biglia; Mor, Bertolacci, Durmaz, Karamoh; Pesic
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Sehic; Skubic, Bardakci, Calik, Guilherme; Cekici, Hadziahmetovic, Dikmen; Gurler, Cikalleshi, Bytyqi
We say: Fatih Karagumruk 1-2 Konyaspor
Both Karagumruk and Konyaspor will be keen to return to winning ways on Saturday, though the visitors will be the favourites to come away with all three points.
Despite failing to score for the first time in 12 matches across all competitions last time out, the visitors should have no problems in outscoring their opponents at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
