Konyaspor vs Kocaelispor – News and Probable Lineups

Konyaspor will face Kocaelispor at Konya Buyuksehir Belediye Stadium this Saturday during the third round of the Turkish Super Lig, as both teams seek to improve upon their recent performances in contrasting circumstances.

Ilhan Palut’s squad has suffered defeats in their first two fixtures, including a 4-2 loss against Fenerbahce last weekend, while Kocaelispor bounced back from an opening match defeat to secure a 2-0 win over Amed SK on Monday.

Match overview

Konyaspor has had a challenging start to their campaign, falling 1-0 at home against Caykur Rizespor followed by a 4-2 loss on the road to Fenerbahce.

The disappointment from the opening match was amplified by Konyaspor’s struggle to create clear scoring opportunities, firing only seven shots with an expected goal (xG) of 0.61, while Rizespor took advantage with 14 attempts and 1.52 xG, with Qazim Laci scoring the decisive penalty in stoppage time after the visitors had shown more attacking intent.

Against Fenerbahce, there was a more positive display, even though they still ended up losing, as Ebrima Colley equalized after Vedat Muriqi’s early goal. Mason Greenwood and Marco Asensio then put the hosts 3-1 up at halftimes, with Greenwood netting another shortly after the break, while Deniz Turuc added a consolation goal for the Konya side in added time.

Despite the scoreline, Konyaspor’s performance was better than it suggested, as they controlled possession and managed 17 shots compared to Fenerbahce’s 20, registering eight of those on target and achieving 2.15 expected goals, indicating that Palut’s team can create issues for opponents with higher individual quality.

A growing concern for Konyaspor is their defensive frailties, having conceded five goals in their first two league matches and failing to keep a clean sheet in both. This trend continues from last season, where they finished ninth with 40 points but conceded 50 goals, one of the poorest defensive records in the league.

At home, their record was significantly stronger, having secured six victories, six draws, and five losses in 17 league games, although they did lose to Kocaelispor at home last season (2-1).

Kocaelispor approaches this match with three points from their initial two games, recovering from a 2-0 defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir with a 2-0 success over Amedspor.

Selcuk Inan’s team displayed efficiency over dominance in the match against Amedspor, generating better opportunities while having less possession, with Berkan Kutlu finding the net just past the 15-minute mark and Matej Maglica sealing the victory late on.

However, Kocaelispor’s overall attacking statistics are less impressive, managing only 26 goals across 34 league matches last season, averaging 0.76 per match, the league’s worst record, an area they must improve to avoid getting dragged into a relegation battle.

Their away form was also a downside from last season, recording just three wins out of 17 matches when traveling, in contrast to six wins at home. This upcoming fixture will be a crucial test to see if their enhanced showing against Amedspor can carry over to away games.

Inan acknowledged the challenge posed by Konyaspor, referring to them as a reliable team in the league and underlining the difficulties associated with playing in Konya, while also indicating that his side is evolving and aims to go for another win.

Team News

Konyaspor is anticipated to have all their players available for this match, and Palut may consider alterations in defense, whether through tactical shape or player changes.

The head coach could maintain the 4-2-3-1 formation used against Fenerbahce, with Turuc and Colley positioned on the flanks, while Jackson Muleka is likely to lead the attack centrally.

Another option is reverting to the 3-4-2-1 formation previously utilized in the season opener, featuring a back three comprised of Ugurcan Yazgili, Chidozie Awaziem, and Adil Demirbag.

Kocaelispor faces a more significant dilemma in their attack, as Bruno Petkovic is set to miss the match due to a thigh strain, and goalkeeper Aleksandar Jovanovic continues to recover from a knee issue.

Petkovic’s absence would leave Inan without the striker who netted four times in their opening eight matches of last season, including goals against Fenerbahce and Kayserispor, meaning Dan Agyei is likely to lead the line again.

Konyaspor probable starting XI:

Ertas; Yazgili, Awaziem, Demirbag, Andzouana; Jevtovic, Ibrahimoglu; Turuc, Goncalves, Colley; Muleka

Kocaelispor probable starting XI:

Oztasdalen; Dijksteel, Zoukrou, Ortakaya, Haidara; Kutlu, Show, Susoho; Baku, Agyei, Sousa

We expect Konyaspor to take the lead and create more scoring chances than they did against Rizespor, with Turuc and Colley poised to take advantage of spaces in Kocaelispor’s defence.

The visitors should stay competitive, possessing enough attacking strength to find the net, but Palut’s team is likely to convert their improved attacking display into their first victory of the season.