Karagümrük vs Samsunspor – News and Probable Lineups

At the bottom of the Turkish Super Lig, Fatih Karagumruk prepares to face an unsteady Samsunspor at Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadium on Sunday, with both teams eager to rebound quickly from their latest league losses.

Currently, the Black Red finds themselves seven points away from safety after 22 matches; however, recent improvements since the arrival of Aleksandar Stanojevic give them hope that these developments can convert into much-needed points in the battle for survival.

Match overview

Under Stanojevic’s leadership, which began on New Year’s Day, Karagumruk finally secured a 1-0 victory against Antalyaspor, breaking an eight-match winless streak in the Super Lig (2D, 6L).

That victory seemed to indicate a shift in momentum; yet, they were unable to capitalize on it, stumbling to a 3-2 defeat against Kasimpasa on Monday.

After falling behind by three goals, Karagumruk showed resilience with goals from Filip Mladenovic and a stoppage-time effort from Traore Ahmed, though their comeback ultimately fell short.

This defeat marked their 16th loss in 22 league games, highlighting the challenge that lies ahead—however, Stanojevic remains optimistic, believing his team “still has a chance” and is focusing on one game at a time, although consistency is essential to maintain that belief.

Their next challenge comes against a Samsunspor team that previously defeated them 3-2 in their earlier meeting, and intriguingly, this fixture has never ended in a draw, with Karagumruk winning three and losing four of the last seven encounters overall.

Additionally, the hosts can find confidence in having won the last two contests at this venue, alongside the positive indicator of having scored in every match since the start of the new year—showing notable attacking progress, especially after failing to score in nine of their opening 17 league matches of the season.

On the other hand, Samsunspor enters the match amidst their own transitions, as a dip in performance led to Thomas Reis’s dismissal, with Thorsten Fink stepping in as the new head coach.

Fink’s start has been promising, having led the team to a 1-0 away victory over Shkendija in the first leg of their Conference League knockout play-off on Thursday.

Nonetheless, urgent action is needed in domestic competitions, as back-to-back league losses — 3-0 against Trabzonspor and 3-1 against Antalyaspor — have seen the Red Lightning drop to eighth place after what appeared to be a strong season initially.

To reverse this downturn, addressing defensive solidity and offensive efficiency will be key; the visitors have managed only seven goals while conceding 17 in their last ten league games, claiming just seven out of a possible 30 points during that span.

Team News

Karagumruk does not have any confirmed injuries, although Joao Camacho, Daniel Johnson, and Marius Doh are considered minor fitness doubts.

In spite of their defensive issues — having conceded the second-most goals in the league — goalkeeper Ivo Grbic is notable for his performance, ranking second in the division for saves per match (3.8), potentially providing a crucial contribution once more.

For Samsunspor, Bedirhan Cetin and Tanguy Coulibaly are sidelined with knee injuries, Afonso Sousa is unavailable due to an ankle issue, and Emre Kilinc is ruled out because of a calf strain.

Creative pressures are expected to fall heavily on Carlo Holse, who leads the visiting team in average shots on target per match, alongside Yalcin Kayan, who is known for creating significant goal-scoring opportunities.

Fatih Karagumruk probable starting XI:

Grbic; Esgaio, Biraschi, Cinar, Kurukalip; Kranevitter, Ozcan; Babicka, Larsson, Kalayci; Serginho

Samsunspor probable starting XI:

Whisker; Yavru, Sakta, Van Drongelen, Thomasson; Quarters, Ntcham; Mendes, Holse, Assumed; Who

Karagumruk has demonstrated attacking improvement under Stanojevic, yet defensive vulnerabilities linger as a concern. With Samsunspor likewise facing struggles at home but having secured a positive European result, an open contest is expected, with the visitors’ quality likely giving them the edge.