Round 21 of the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig season kicks off with Samsunspor hosting Gaziantep at the Samsun 19 May Stadium in a clash of two sides eager to extend their unbeaten runs.
Both teams enter the match with similar recent form, having drawn their previous league outings and remaining unbeaten in their last four games, with two wins and two draws apiece during that stretch.
Match preview
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Samsunspor owe their goalless draw at Besiktas in their last match to goalkeeper Okan Kocuk, who delivered a stellar performance between the sticks.
The Turkish shot-stopper made several key saves in a game where the Red Lightning struggled and were reduced to 10 men following Rick van Drongelen's dismissal for a second yellow card in the 64th minute.
Thomas Reis's side have epitomised resilience and determination this season, qualities that have propelled them to an impressive campaign thus far, and while the draw at Besiktas saw them drop two valuable points and fall further behind second-placed Fenerbahce, sitting third in the standings with 37 points remains a significant achievement for a team that narrowly avoided relegation last season.
With just three points separating them from fourth-placed Goztepe, Samsunspor will be keen to avoid any slip-ups against Gaziantep, especially as they lost the last time they hosted the visitors.
Notably, in the three previous top-flight meetings between these sides, the home team has never emerged victorious, with one win for each side, and a draw.
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However, Gaziantep's away form has been a major concern this season, with Selcuk Inan's side having collected just five points from a possible 27 on the road, ranking as the sixth-worst away team in the league.
They are winless in their last eight away matches, losing six and drawing two, with their sole victory coming in their opening away game against Bodrumspor.
Their home form also faltered last weekend as they played out a disappointing goalless draw against the same opponent, Bodrumspor, in a game that Gaziantep offered little in attack, leaving fans frustrated with the lackluster performance.
Despite an eight-point gap to fourth-placed Goztepe, GFK will still harbour hopes of mounting a push for that spot – however, achieving that goal will require a drastic improvement in their away results, starting with Friday's trip to Samsun.
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Team News
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With Van Drongelen suspended following his red card in the previous match, Yunus Ciftci is expected to step in at center-back for the hosts.
On a positive note for Samsunspor, Zeki Yavru is set to return to the starting XI after serving his suspension.
Gaziantep, meanwhile, have players missing due to injuries, one of them being Godfrey Bitok, who is sidelined with a leg injury, with no clear timeline for his return.
Enric Saborit is out with an ankle issue, while Emre Tasdemir is recovering from a muscle problem, with both expected to be back in action next month.
Samsunspor possible starting lineup:
Kocuk; Bola, Satka, Cift, Schindler; Holse, Bennasser; Kilinc, Ntcham, Muja; Mouandilmadji
Gaziantep possible starting lineup:
Bozan; Viana, Mandouki, Kizildag, Eskihallac; Maxim, Ndiaye, Kozlowski; Okereke, Dervisoglu, Sorescu
We say: Samsunspor 3-1 Gaziantep
Samsunspor are currently on a seven-match unbeaten streak at home in the Super Lig, making them overwhelming favourites against a Gaziantep team with a dismal away record, which is why we expect a dominant performance from the hosts on Friday, and have predicted a comfortable win for them.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
