Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig clash between Istanbul Basaksehir and Caykur Rizespor, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Istanbul Basaksehir will be looking to secure a third win in four matches when they welcome Caykur Rizespor to the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium on Sunday.
On the other hand, the away side make the journey to the Turkish capital this weekend aiming to pick up a fourth victory on the bounce.
Match preview
Istanbul Basaksehir just about came out on top from a thrilling five-goal contest against Pendikspor at the Pendik Stadyumu on Sunday morning.
Cagdas Atan‘s men fell behind to Mame Thiam‘s opener but managed to turn the game on its head thanks to a Joao Figueiredo double after which Fredrik Midtsjo levelled matters, only for Dimitrios Pelkas to decide the game 10 minutes from time.
As a result, The Grey Owls have climbed up to sixth place in the Turkish Super Lig table, five points off the top four with a game in hand.
Next up is the challenge of an opposing outfit who have come out on top in just one of the last 12 editions of this fixture across all competitions.
However, that solitary win did come in the most recent encounter back in December when Sunday’s hosts fell to a 3-2 defeat in this season’s reverse fixture.
Rizespor ran out emphatic 3-0 winners against Antalyaspor when the sides went head to head at the Caykur Didi Stadyumu on Sunday afternoon.
Goals in both halves from Altin Zeqiri put Ilhan Palut‘s men in the driving seat after which Adolfo Gaich sealed the deal in the 82nd minute.
With 48 points picked up from 32 matches so far, The Black Sea Sparrowhawks sit fifth in the standings, one place and two points clear of their next opponents.
Having recently ended a 12-match winless run of the road, Sunday’s visitors now go in search of consecutive victories away from home for the first time since September 2023.
Istanbul Basaksehir Turkish Super Lig form:
Caykur Rizespor Turkish Super Lig form:
Team News
Efe Koyuncu is still sidelined with a ruptured Achilles Tendon Rupture and the defender will not play any part in this weekend’s contest.
Poland international Patryk Szysz also misses out for the hosts through a knee injury which he picked up towards the back end of last season.
Rizespor’s Okechukwu Azubuike is currently nursing an ankle injury, while Benhur Keser is yet to fully recuperate from a muscle problem.
Twenty-year-old Efe Tecimer has featured just five times in two years for the away side as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:
Sengezer; Dubois, Opoku, Duarte, Sahiner; Kemen, Ozcan; Davidson, Pelkas, Turuc; Figueiredo
Caykur Rizespor possible starting lineup:
Akkan; Sahin, Alikulov, Topcu, Hojer; Akintola, Olawoyin, Shelvey, Zeqiri; Varesanovic, Minchev
We say: Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1 Caykur Rizespor
As shown by their league standings, there is little to pick between the sides and this weekend’s clash could easily go either way. However, we are backing the home side to secure maximum points come the end of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.