Istanbul vs Kasımpaşa – News and Probable Lineups

Istanbul Basaksehir will take on Kasimpasa at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu this Sunday during the third round of the Turkish Super Lig season, as the home team aims to capitalize on their strong entry into the season.

Nuri Sahin’s squad began their journey with a home win against Kocaelispor, but suffered a defeat to Trabzonspor last weekend. Meanwhile, the visitors remain unbeaten, having drawn with Trabzonspor and secured a win against Corum.

Match overview

Basaksehir started their season impressively, achieving a 2-0 home victory over Kocaelispor, but let that momentum slip, experiencing a narrow 2-1 loss against Trabzonspor in the second round.

The loss against Trabzon was particularly frustrating because the Grey Owls performed commendably for extended periods against a team that has recently bolstered its attack significantly. They were punished twice by Mohamed Salah, although Shomurodov’s equalizer in the 19th minute kept the visitors in contention until Salah struck again shortly after the interval.

However, Sahin may feel discontent as his team has secured only one victory in their four appearances across all competitions, having failed to defeat Inter Turku in the Conference League qualifiers (1D, 1L) while managing one win and one loss in the league.

The Grey Owls will hope to bounce back on Sunday, buoyed by their ongoing 14-match unbeaten streak against Kasimpasa in all competitions, including 12 league games with 10 wins and two draws.

Home ground advantage has also favored Basaksehir in this matchup, where they have not lost in their last 12 home meetings, recording eight wins and four draws.

On the other hand, Kasimpasa has enjoyed an unbeaten start, though they have not been particularly dominant over their opponents. This fixture poses their greatest test to date given the location and their historical performance against this rival.

Emre Belozoglu’s team drew their opening game 1-1 with Trabzonspor before edging out Corum 1-0 last weekend, with Adrian Benedyczak netting the decisive goal within the first six minutes, leaving the squad to defend their lead for the remainder of the match.

This victory was notably commendable from a defensive perspective as Kasimpasa had to endure extensive stretches without possession, with Corum enjoying 75% of the ball and attempting 16 shots. However, it was the Apaches who managed to score from their single shot on target.

That defensive fortitude may prove essential once again in Istanbul, but Belozoglu will understand that his team needs to be more proactive with the ball even if they expect to have less possession, as seen in their initial matches.

Basaksehir had only 40% possession in the draw with Trabzonspor, but they successfully created three significant chances, registering four shots on target from nine total attempts.

Team News

Basaksehir is anticipated to maintain much of the lineup that faced Trabzonspor, with Muhammed Sengezer expected to continue in goal, and Emin Bayram and Jerome Opoku likely to remain the central defenders.

Sahin has numerous attacking alternatives should he decide to make any changes; Ivan Brnic and Davie Selke both came off the bench during the match against Trabzonspor, while Umut Bozok and Onur Ergun are also potential options if the manager chooses to modify his strategy.

Kasimpasa is expected to keep the 4-2-3-1 formation they used in their opening matches, with Benedyczak spearheading the attack after scoring against both Trabzonspor and Corum, while Guven Yalcin, Fousseni Diabate, and Marcus Rafferty provide support around him.

Kamil Ahmet Corekci is ruled out due to an Achilles problem, but besides that, Belozoglu has a relatively stable squad to pick from.

Basaksehir probable starting XI:

Think; Sahiner, Bayram, Opoku, Opera; Kemen, Kaluzinski; Olsen, Shomurodov, Faizullaev; Thunderstorms

Kasimpasa probable starting XI:

Gianniotis; Winck, Arous, Ilie, Jessen; Demirbay, Baldursson; Yalcin, Diabate, Rafferty; Benedyczak

Given Basaksehir’s superior attacking choices, home advantage, and dominant recent record in this matchup, they are favored to secure their second home win of the season.

While we expect the visitors to remain solid and challenge the hosts for extensive periods, the home side should eventually find a way to break through.