Turkish Super Lig adversaries Kasimpasa and Caykur Rizespor will both be out to end 2023 with a flourish when they lock horns in Monday's top-flight showdown at Recap Tayyip Erdogan Stadium.
Sami Ugurlu's men were held to a goalless stalemate by Antalyaspor in their most recent affair, while the visitors prolonged their unbeaten run by demolishing Pendikspor 5-1.
Match preview
Eleven days on from conceding four to resurgent relegation battlers Samsunspor, a welcome clean sheet on the road came the way of Kasimpasa, who played out their first Turkish Super Lig draw in over three months on Antalyaspor's soil.
With barely anything to separate the two evenly-matched teams on the possession or shot counters - Kasimpasa boasted 48% of the ball while only firing one fewer attempt on goal - a point apiece was a fair result, as Ugurlu's team registered their first clean sheet in six top-flight games.
Mired in the obscurity of mid-table, Kasimpasa - who have plied their trade in the Turkish Super Lig since 2012 - are sitting comfortably in ninth place ahead of the Christmas Day fixtures, which would represent their highest end-of-season ranking since placing eighth in 2017-18.
While title rivals Fenerbahce and Galatasaray are engaging in their exclusive two-horse battle for supremacy, Kasimpasa are only four points adrift of Trabzonspor for third place, the reward for which will be a place in the Europa League qualifying rounds, but a run of just one win from six has harmed their continental ambitions.
The hosts' last fixture in front of their own fans ended in a 4-2 beating of Gaziantep FK on December 3, but they are yet to march to back-to-back home victories this season, alternating between a loss and a win on familiar soil since the start of September.
Such a sequence will make for pleasant reading for the more superstitious Caykur Rizespor supporters, whose side are firmly in the European mix thanks to a magnificent spell of winter form, having gone six games without defeat since being put to the sword by Gaziantep on November 6.
Four victories and two draws in all competitions have come the way of Ilhan Palut's men over the past five weeks, and Thursday's visit of Pendikspor ended with the Black Sea Sparrowhawk soaring to their most emphatic victory of the 2023-24 campaign to date.
Despite falling behind to Halil Akbunar's ninth-minute strike, Rizespor responded ruthlessly as Adolfo Gaich and Dal Varesanovic both struck braces alongside a Benhur Keser effort, and with seconds remaining, goalkeeper Tarik Cetin saved an Oscar Romero penalty for good measure.
Thanks to their fourth successive home victory, Rizespor - who were only promoted back to the top flight this year after a brief stint in the second division - occupy sixth place in the standings, albeit with just a three-point cushion over their upcoming opponents.
Home may be where the heart is for Rizespor, but Palut's side have left a lot to be desired on the road with two draws and three defeats from their last five contests away from home, and their most recent trip to Kasimpasa's territory in May 2022 ended in a dampening 3-1 loss.
Team News
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No fresh fitness concerns reared their ugly heads for Kasimpasa in their most recent showdown, but on-loan Burnley midfielder Samuel Bastien has not played since early October due to an unspecified issue and seems set to sit this one out too.
Winger Erdem Cetinkaya and midfielder Hasan Emre Yesilyurt are also taking up beds in the hosts' treatment room, but Ugurlu may be loath to switch things up from Wednesday's respectable stalemate.
An identical 4-3-3 setup would be spearheaded by former Nottingham Forest marksman Nuno Da Costa, while 2006-born defender Yasin Ozcan - already a Turkey Under-21 international - is poised to start at left-back again.
Similarly, Rizespor ought to be working with the same crop of players from their thrashing of Pendikspor in addition to the returning Emirhan Topcu, who was sent off for two bookable offences in the draw with Ankaragucu which sent shockwaves around the world due to the actions of Faruk Koca.
Centre-back Topcu is eligible to return this week, but Okechukwu Azubuike is on the long road to recovery from a cruciate ligament tear, while Attila Mocsi and Gokhan Akkan are also unavailable for the visitors.
A recognisable name has manned the Rizespor midfield this season in the form of Nottingham Forest loanee Jonjo Shelvey, who should make his 11th successive Super Lig start as one half of a double pivot with Ibrahim Olawoyin.
Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:
Gianniotis; Winck, Omeruo, Ciftpinar, Ozcan; Hajradinovic, Gul, Kara; Fall, Da Costa, Ben Ouanes
Caykur Rizespor possible starting lineup:
Cetin; Sahin, Alikulov, Yasar, Hojer; Olawoyin, Shelvey; Keser, Varisanovic, Zeqiri; Gaich
We say: Kasimpasa 2-2 Caykur Rizespor
For all of their wonderful exploits in front of the home faithful, Rizespor have just two goals to show from their last five away matches in the Turkish Super Lig and now butt heads with a side who have scored at least three goals in each of their last five home battles.
Kasimpasa ought to reignite their goalscoring touch on familiar territory, but with Rizespor showcasing their comeback powers in midweek, we can envisage an entertaining affair ending all square.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
