Kocaelispor vs Gaziantep – News and Probable Lineups

As the Turkish Super Lig enters Round 22, Kocaelispor will host Gaziantep at Kocaeli Stadium, with the two teams positioned ninth and eighth, respectively.

With only a single point separating the teams in the standings, both sides, having recently broken their winless streaks, will aim to gain momentum as the season progresses.

Match overview

The outlook for Kocaelispor has shifted from a focus on mere survival to reinforcing their presence in the top tier, although a sluggish start to 2026 briefly jeopardized that advancement.

In their initial five fixtures this year, Selcuk Inan’s squad recorded two draws and three defeats, including three league matchups, before securing a crucial 2-1 league triumph against Kayserispor last Monday.

The Gulf aims for consecutive Super Lig victories for the first time since October, but this upcoming fixture poses a challenge against a known rival.

This match marks their third encounter with Gaziantep this season; they have previously lost both matches—2-0 in the league and 1-0 in the Turkish Cup.

Home advantage might be significant, seeing that Kocaelispor has gathered the sixth-most points at home this season—however, they have recently displayed vulnerabilities, suffering losses in their last two league matches at Kocaeli Stadium and are winless in their last three home matches across all competitions (1D, 2L).

Meanwhile, Gaziantep arrives with increased confidence following consecutive victories, overpowering Keciorengucu 5-1 before narrowly defeating Kasimpasa 2-1 in the league, despite being reduced to ten men for over a half.

This victory was particularly significant, as it ended a seven-match winless streak in the league (3D, 4L) that had hindered their ambitions for European qualification.

Although Burak Yilmaz’s team currently sits 12 points behind the top four, making a continental berth seem unlikely, a late-season revival could rekindle both momentum and belief.

Their major hurdle has been away from home, where the Falcons have managed only two points from their last four league outings, therefore, even a draw in their inaugural top-flight visit to Kocaeli Stadium would be viewed as an encouraging outcome.

Team News

Kocaelispor will again be missing Mateusz Wieteska, who continues his recovery from a cruciate knee injury.

Goalkeeper Aleksandar Jovanovic remains uncertain, and January acquisition Mahamadou Susoho is also expected to be unavailable.

Gaziantep still lacks French defender Salem M’Bakata, who has only featured once this season due to a knee issue, while young midfielder Ali Ablak is also out for the same reason.

Drissa Camara is suspended due to his red card against Kasimpasa, and Badou Ndiaye and Myenty Abena are both questionable.

Kocaelispor probable starting XI:

Miller; Oguz, Balogh, Smolcic, Haidara; Show, Deaf; Churlinov, Rivas, Agyei; Petkovic

Gaziantep probable starting XI:

Gorgen; Kizildag, Artist, Sangare; Kabadayi, Ozcicek, Kabasacal, Sorescu; Maxim; Dragus, Bayo

Heading into this closely matched mid-table contest in the Turkish Super Lig, Gaziantep holds a slight momentum advantage, bolstered by their recent back-to-back wins that should uplift their confidence, despite concerns about their away form.

Kocaelispor will rely on the support of their home crowd at Kocaeli Stadium, but their recent home struggles temper expectations.