Caykur Rizespor vs. Antalyaspor – News and Probable Lineups

Caykur Rizespor are aiming to secure three consecutive victories in the Turkish Super Lig for the first time this season as they face Antalyaspor at Caykur Didi Stadyumu on Sunday.

The Black Sea Sparrowhawk managed to achieve back-to-back league wins recently, although they encountered a setback with an exit from the cup, and are now looking to get back to winning ways in the league.

Match overview

Rizespor made the trip to Istanbul for a Turkish Cup match against a formidable Besiktas, and despite demonstrating commendable fight and briefly unsettling their opponents with a goal, they ultimately succumbed to a significant 4-1 defeat, concluding their cup run.

Their focus is now redirected to league play, where they recently celebrated their first victories of 2026, with Recep Ucar’s squad first triumphing over Kocaelispor 2-0, followed by a convincing 3-0 win against Kasimpasa, results that have propelled them to 10th place in the table.

One of the most promising features of these victories was their defensive strength, as Rizespor scored five goals while maintaining a clean sheet across the two matches, marking their first shutout since a 3-0 victory over Eyupspor back in December.

They will now look to replicate this balance as they target a league double over Antalyaspor for the first time since the 2020-21 season, having triumphed in the earlier fixture this season with an exciting 5-2 scoreline.

Historically, Rizespor has performed well in this encounter at home, winning the last five matchups while remaining unbeaten in the last six when playing against Antalyaspor, a trend likely to instill confidence leading up to Sunday’s fixture.

On the other hand, Antalyaspor enters the match experiencing inconsistency, currently enduring a three-match winless streak across all competitions.

Their most recent outing ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw with Fenerbahce in the league, a result that came between a league loss to Kayserispor and a 2-0 defeat to Samsunspor in the Turkish Cup on Thursday.

The draw against Fenerbahce brought mixed feelings, as the Scorpions jumped ahead with a two-goal advantage before conceding twice in a chaotic match that even saw both sides scoring own goals.

A pressing concern for Sami Ugurlu’s side is their overall form, with only one victory from their last seven competitive outings, leaving them just four points above the relegation zone.

Furthermore, their away record offers little encouragement, as Antalyaspor has not won in their last seven competitive fixtures on the road, managing two draws and suffering five losses, including defeats in their last two league travels to teams currently sitting in the bottom three.

Team News

Rizespor heads into this match without defender Khusniddin Alikulov, who has been out of action due to injury since January. Additionally, on-loan forward Halil Dervisoglu will also be unavailable due to accumulating yellow cards.

The absence of Dervisoglu is expected to lead to Ali Sowe returning to the starting lineup for the first time since the defeat to Galatasaray last month, providing the striker with another chance to break a goal drought that dates back to December.

Romanian winger Valentin Mihaila has been performing impressively of late, finding the net in each of his last two league matches to bring his total to five goals in the Super Lig, and he will be a crucial attacking presence as the hosts aim to continue their winning streak.

Antalyaspor is keeping a close watch on the fitness of Ramzi Safuri, who remains a notable injury concern after missing the last three matches, while Lautaro Giannetti is also under evaluation after sustaining an injury during the draw with Fenerbahce.

Midfielder Sander van de Streek managed to net his fourth league goal of the season in that match, and the Dutchman will strive to score in consecutive games once again after accomplishing a similar feat earlier in January.

Caykur Rizespor probable starting XI:

Fly; Shovel, Sagnan, Acaydin, Hojer; Laci, Antalyalii, Olaoyin; Michael, Sowe, Mebude

Antalyaspor probable starting XI:

Julian; Turkmen, Djikiya, Sari, Paal; Dikmen, Ceesay; Ballet, Storm, Sinik; Van de Streek

Rizespor seems to have regained their form in the league, and their solid home record in this matchup could be crucial.

Antalyaspor’s difficulties away from home and inconsistent recent performances make them susceptible, particularly against a side that has demonstrated enhanced defensive organization in recent weeks.

While the visitors possess the capability to threaten on the counterattack, Rizespor’s confidence and momentum at Caykur Didi Stadyumu should prove advantageous.