Kasımpaşa vs Eyüpspor – News and Probable Lineups

This Sunday at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadyumu, two of the most troubled teams in the Turkish Super Lig, Kasimpasa and Eyupspor, will square off in what is likely to be a crucial battle for relegation survival.

Currently, the hosts find themselves at the bottom of the relegation zone, just one point behind their opponents, who sit above them in the standings.

Match overview

Kasimpasa has faced a challenging season, with their 14-year tenure in the top flight of Turkish football now at significant risk as the campaign reaches its critical phase.

The Apaches come into this fixture having won just once in their last 12 league encounters (5 draws, 6 losses), with that single victory occurring in a thrilling 3-2 win over the bottom-ranked Fatih Karagumruk. Their latest result was a hard-won 1-1 draw against Konyaspor.

There is increasing pressure on head coach Emre Belozoglu, who has led the team to only one win in 11 league games since his appointment in early December, achieving five draws and suffering five defeats in that span.

Given that their sole win came against the league’s last-placed team, Kasimpasa will view this Sunday’s clash as a vital chance to boost their survival hopes, though it’s noteworthy that the first match between the two this season ended in a 2-0 loss for them.

Home performance has been a significant worry for the hosts, who have managed only one victory from 11 league matches played at their stadium this season, accumulating fewer home points than any other club in the league.

Interestingly, there have been no draws in the last three meetings between these teams, with Kasimpasa having won the first two encounters, while the Eyup side secured victory in the most recent match, with all wins in this fixture resulting in a clean sheet.

Eyupspor also arrives with its own set of concerns as the struggle for survival becomes more intense, having won only once in their last seven competitive outings (2 draws, 4 losses). They find themselves precariously perched just above the relegation zone.

This season has seen a notable downturn for the team, which was once viewed as a potential top-six contender, but they now find themselves firmly entrenched in a fight for survival, having experienced three managerial changes already.

The current manager, Atila Gerin, initially brought stability to the squad after taking over in early January, leading them through a four-match unbeaten stretch (2 wins, 2 draws); however, that brief surge has since faded.

Eyupspor is now without a victory in their past three competitive matches (1 draw, 2 losses), their latest outing resulting in a 1-0 defeat at home to Kocaelispor, where Serdar Dursun scored the deciding penalty in the sixth minute.

This loss also marked the continuation of a three-match goal drought for the visitors, underscoring a persistent issue in their attack, as no team in the league has netted fewer goals than their tally of just 19.

Team News

Kasimpasa will again be missing midfielder Haris Hajradinovic, who has been out since September due to a knee injury.

The hosts may also need to manage without Kamil Ahmet Corekci, Kerem Demirbay, and Emre Tasdemir, all of whom are doubtful ahead of the match.

On the other hand, Eyupspor has no confirmed absences, although Dorin Rotariu, Taras Stepanenko, and Anil Yasar are all questionable.

Brazilian right-back Lucas Calegari has been the standout creator for the visitors this season, generating the most significant chances (two), though he is likely to start on the bench.

Meanwhile, Turkish forward Umut Bozok, who has scored four league goals this season, is expected to spearhead the attack as Eyupspor looks to break their recent goal drought.

Kasimpasa probable starting XI:

Ganniotis; Winck, Becao, Arous, Frimpong; Baldursson, Kahveci; Benedyczak, Ben Ouanes, Diabate; Tosun

Eyupspor probable starting XI:

Yilmaz; Ulvan, Ozyurt, Onguene, Meras; Gezek, Taskin, Legowski; Torres, Bozok, Pintor

This relegation six-pointer in the Turkish Super Lig promises to be a tense encounter, as both teams grapple with poor form and goal-scoring challenges.

Kasimpasa has struggled in their home games this season, while Eyupspor comes into the match with an ongoing goal drought that has hampered their ability to secure wins. With high stakes and low confidence on both sides, a draw seems the most probable result in this tightly contested battle for survival.