Göztepe SK vs Gaziantep – News and Probable Lineups

On Saturday evening, Goztepe is set to host Gaziantep at the Gursel Aksel Stadium, with the home team still aiming to achieve a place in the top five of the Turkish Super Lig, despite their fading chances of securing a top-four finish in recent weeks.

While a fifth-place finish might still lead to European qualification based on the Turkish Cup results, the visiting side arrives with little motivation after settling into mid-table safety following a disappointing series of performances.

Match overview

Although Goztepe appears to have fallen out of contention for an automatic European spot, head coach Stanimir Stoilov’s squad remains focused on finishing the season strongly after another promising performance last weekend.

The team from Izmir extended their unbeaten league streak to four matches by securing a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Trabzonspor, who are currently in third place. This resilient performance is part of a sequence where Goztepe has lost only twice in their last nine Super Lig encounters.

Within that stretch, they have recorded wins over both Genclerbirligi and Antalyaspor, while five draws have highlighted the competitive spirit Goztepe has developed in the later stages of the season.

Nevertheless, with Besiktas sitting seven points ahead in fourth place and only two matches to go, Stoilov’s players can now realistically focus on clinching fifth position, which may still result in a European spot, should Trabzonspor win the Turkish Cup and remain in the top three.

The home team also gains confidence from their solid track record against Gaziantep, having won two of the last three encounters between the clubs, including a narrow 1-0 win in the previous fixture earlier this season.

Despite Goztepe’s resilience, one of the ongoing issues has been their lack of clinical finishing, as the Yellow-Reds have netted only 40 league goals, the least among the top nine teams.

Conversely, Gaziantep arrives at this match in a struggling state, with growing worries about their trajectory since Mirel Radoi took over as head coach.

The visitors currently sit 11th in the standings and are mathematically safe from relegation, but have little momentum after registering just one victory in their last six league games.

This sole highlight came in a dominant 3-0 win against Kayserispor; however, Gaziantep has also endured losses to Fenerbahce, Caykur Rizespor, Eyupspor, and Besiktas in that same timeframe.

More alarmingly, Radoi has experienced defeats in both matches since assuming command, losing 3-0 to Eyupspor and 2-0 to Besiktas, with his team yet to find the back of the net under his leadership.

Gaziantep’s difficulties in away matches continue to plague them throughout the season, exposing defensive weaknesses and an inability to attack cohesively while away from home, resulting in just four away victories all season.

Team News

Goztepe will be without Turkish players Izzet Malak and Erkam Komur, both serving suspensions imposed by the Turkish Football Federation amid an ongoing investigation into a betting scandal.

Furkan Bayir has been out of action since late March, while Janderson is unavailable due to a suspension stemming from yellow card accumulation.

Efkan Bekiroglu remains a doubt after missing the last two fixtures, and Anthony Dennis may also miss this match after sustaining an injury in the draw against Trabzonspor.

On the other hand, Gaziantep continues to be without Ali Mevran Ablak and Salem M’Bakata, both of whom are still recovering from long-term knee injuries.

Badou Ndiaye is approaching full fitness but might not be ready to start, while Yusuf Kabadayi and Nihad Mujakic are also uncertainties due to recent injury issues.

Goztepe SK probable starting XI:

Lis; Godoi, Heliton, Bokele; Kurtulan, Miroshi, Mohammed, Cherni; Antunes; Jeh, Juan

Gaziantep probable starting XI:

gorge; Sorescu, Sangare, Abena, Kizildag, Rodrigues; Maxim, Gidado, Camara; Kozlowski, Bayo

Goztepe has demonstrated significantly more consistency lately and is motivated by their pursuit of a potentially impactful fifth-place finish.

In contrast, Gaziantep seems to be limping towards the conclusion of the season, and with Radoi yet to see his side score since taking charge, it’s challenging to endorse the visitors against a well-organized and disciplined home team.