Adana Demirspor will aim to carry forward the momentum from the end of last year as they host Istanbul Basaksehir at the New Adana Stadium on Saturday in a Round 18 Turkish Super Lig fixture.
The Blue Lightnings ended 2024 on a high, securing back-to-back league victories – their first wins of the current Super Lig campaign – and will be eager to build on that progress.
Match preview
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Mustafa Dalci, who assumed the managerial reins at Adana Demirspor on November 29, has sparked a newfound optimism at the club, guiding them to three victories in just five matches under his leadership.
The Blue Lightnings began his tenure with a cup win and have since secured two victories in their last three league outings, marking not only their first Super Lig triumph but also their first consecutive wins of the season.
A hard-fought 2-1 home win over Besiktas was followed by an impressive 3-1 away victory against Hatayspor in a crucial relegation battle, with Dalci's men showing resilience, overturning a deficit with three goals scored between the 61st and 75th minutes.
However, despite two wins and two draws, Adana remain with only five points on the board due to a three-point deduction imposed by the TFF licensing board for administrative shortcomings, leaving them 13 points adrift of safety, presenting a formidable challenge in their fight for survival.
Surviving the drop will require a monumental effort, but maintaining their current momentum will be Adana's primary focus as they prepare to face a side they have defeated just once in 16 attempts.
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Istanbul Basaksehir come into this clash on the back of a 2-2 home draw against Kasimpasa just before Christmas, extending their winless streak to two league matches and leaving them with only two wins in their last 10.
The in-form Krzysztof Piatek netted a brace of penalties – the first to equalise after an early setback and the second to give Basaksehir a fleeting lead, cementing his position atop the Super Lig scoring charts with 12 goals this season.
After 16 matches, Basaksehir occupy seventh place with 23 points, trailing Goztepe in fourth by five points, with a return to last season's fourth-place finish remaining possible, provided they rediscover consistency.
Cagdas Atan's side will be keen to avoid another extended winless run, and with an excellent record of 11 victories against Adana, including three of the last four meetings, the visitors have reason for optimism.
However, Basaksehir's away form remains a concern, with four consecutive Super Lig defeats on the road and just seven points accrued from a possible 24 in away matches this season.
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Team News
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Nabil Alioui remains sidelined with injury, paving the way for Bunyamin Balat to start in midfield, while Andrew Gravillon has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a cruciate ligament tear.
Ali Yavuz Kol and Breyton Fougeu, neither of whom were expected to feature in this match, are also unavailable through injury, while Yusuf Sari has left the club, recently signing for Saturday's opponents Basaksehir.
Meanwhile, the visitors will be boosted by the return of Ousseynou Ba, Deniz Turuc and Jerome Opoku, all of whom missed the previous match due to suspensions for accumulated yellow cards.
Piatek remains the key player to watch, with the Polish striker aiming to extend his remarkable form by scoring for an eighth consecutive match across all competitions and further cementing his place at the top of the Super Lig scoring chart.
Adana Demirspor possible starting lineup:
Dilmen; Duarte, Gureler, Kaplan, Lima; Ozdemir; Pelkas, Crespo, Kemen, Davidson; Piatek
Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:
Sengezer; Sahiner; Duarte, Opoku, Lima; Ozdemir, Crespo, Kemen; Turuc, Piatek, Gurler
We say: Adana Demirspor 1-2 Istanbul Basaksehir
Although Adana Demirspor have performed admirably over the past fortnight, Basaksehir are favourites for this encounter due to their historical dominance and superior quality.
Given the recent form of both sides, this promises to be a closely contested clash – however, we are predicting a narrow victory for the visitors.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
