Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Turkish Super Lig clash between Alanyaspor and Konyaspor, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Konyaspor will look to make it back-to-back wins in the Turkish Super Lig when they travel to Alanya to take on Alanyaspor on Saturday.
The visitors are coming off a 2-0 home win over Kasimpasa, while the hosts got a drubbing from Galatasaray the last time out.
Match preview
Alanyaspor have struggled in the Turkish Super Lig this season, having lost their last five games, leaving them in the relegation zone and without a win since early October.
Newly-appointed coach Fatih Tekke has lost all three games since his appointment, with last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Galatasaray making it eight goals conceded without scoring under the 46-year-old.
The hosts are yet to find their feet this season, with just two wins in 13 games, including a six-game winless streak during a stretch of the season from mid-August to early October and that ongoing five-game losing streak.
A 4-1 win over Belediye Kutahyaspor in the cup competition briefly lifted their spirits and was also their third home win in all competitions this season, but the thought of a home run was quickly crushed after a 3-0 defeat in their next home game against Gaziantep.
The biggest source of Alanyaspor’s struggles has been a lack of firepower with just nine goals scored in 13 games – the lowest tally in the division – while they have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 10 games.
Konyaspor, on the other hand, come into this game feeling better than Alanyaspor, even though the visitors are only three points above them in the league standings.
Hakan Keles‘s men ended an eight-game winless run in the Turkish Super Lig with a 2-0 triumph over Kasimpasa last time out and have won two of their last four matches in all competitions.
An improved performance in recent weeks has seen them move out of the relegation zone and they are currently in 15th place with 13 points; another win on Saturday will see them steer further away from the relegation zone if other results go their way.
However, their recent away results have been poor – Konyaspor have lost their last three away matches after recording one win and two draws in their opening three games on the road this season.
Alanyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:
Konyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:
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Team News
The home side go into this game with a fully fit squad and no players suspended.
Forward Carlos Eduardo is Alanyaspor’s biggest threat in attack, having already scored two goals this season, and he is expected to retain his spot in the frontline against Konyaspor.
Loide Augusto could start at right-back after coming on as a substitute in place of Nuno Lima last time out.
Meanwhile, Konyaspor are set to once again be without Muhammet Demir, who has been out of action since April due to a knee problem, and Gokhan Tore, who is also sidelined with an ankle injury.
Sokol Cikalleshi – Konyaspor’s top scorer with five goals – came off the bench to score against Kasimpasa and could replace Nelson Oliveira in the starting XI against Alanyaspor.
Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:
Taskiran; Augusto, Aksoy, Bayir, Balkovec; Sisto, Fer, Janvier, Karaca, Aydin; Eduardo
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Oguz, Yazgili, Demirbag, Guilherme; Dikmen, Ulgun; Muric, Cicaldau, Moreno; Cikalleshi
We say: Alanyaspor 0-2 Konyaspor
Konyaspor are coming into this game feeling confident after their win over Kasimpasa and will realise that their hosts are there for the taking.
It will be Alanyaspor’s fourth game under Tekke, and they are yet to score a goal since he took charge. We are predicting the hosts to come away empty-handed, as their lack of defensive solidity and firepower will haunt them once more.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.