Antalyaspor will be looking to secure their first win of the 2023-24 Turkish Super League season when they welcome Kayserispor to Corendon Airlines Park on Saturday evening.
The hosts come into this match off the back of a 1-1 draw away to Sivasspor last weekend, while the visitors earned their first win of the campaign, beating Samsunspor 2-1 at home.
Match preview
After avoiding relegation by the slenderest of margins last season, the early signs in the current campaign suggest that Antalyaspor may find themselves battling in the bottom half of the table again this season.
Nuri Sahin's side managed 41 points last term with a record of 11 wins, eight draws and 17 losses, although only three of their victories came on their home patch.
Following a 1-0 loss to Trabzonspor in the first match of this season, the hosts recorded back-to-back 1-1 draws against Konyaspor and Sivasspor, extending their winless run to eight matches in all competitions.
However, Sahin and co will know that this will be one of the better chances for them to secure their first win of the campaign, and they are the clear favourites according to most bookmakers.
Meanwhile, Kayserispor would likely be fairly pleased with their performance last season as they continued their upward progression, finishing in ninth place compared to 14th in the previous campaign.
The Anatolian Star finished six points ahead of their opponents in this match with a record of 15 wins, five draws, and 16 losses, although they were the highest-conceding team in the top half of the table.
Cagdas Atan's side got their season started very promisingly by holding the defending champions Galatasaray to a goalless draw on matchday one and taking a point away from Istanbulspor a week later.
Last week, Kayserispor were clearly the better side against Samsunspor and were worthy winners, with Anthony Uzodimma and Mame Baba Thiam both getting on the scoresheet to bring an end to their seven-match winless run in the Super Lig.
However, while they have made a better start to the season, the visitors cannot underestimate this opponent, as they were on the wrong end of a 4-0 loss the last time they met.
- L
- D
- D
- D
- D
- W
Team News
Sahin will be without the services of Adam Buksa in attack as the forward has been flagged with a muscle strain and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks.
Sam Larsson opened his account for the season last week against Sivasspor and should keep his place in midfield alongside Zymer Bytyqi and Jakub Kaluzinski.
The right-wing combination of Uzodimma and Thiam looked excellent in the last match, with both players getting on the scoresheet, and they should continue on the flank in this one.
Gokhan Sazdagi is still looking for his first goal of the season and should continue to lead the line, while Ali Karimi and Miguel Cardoso are likely to provide the support from midfield.
Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:
Leite; Balci, Sari, Toprak, Vural; Kaluzinski, Ribeiro, Bytyqi, De Streek, Larsson; Assombalonga
Kayserispor possible starting lineup:
Bayazit; Uzodimma, Attamah, Kolovetsios, Carole; Ackah, Thiam, Karimi, Cardoso, Civelek; Sazdagi
We say: Antalyaspor 1-1 Kayserispor
While the visitors have made a better start to the season, their away record does not inspire much confidence. They have failed to win any of their last six on the road, although they have taken at least a point in three of those matches.
With the hosts still searching for their best form, we feel that both sides will be fairly happy with a share of the spoils here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Devesh Jaganath
