Matchday two of the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig season sees Hatayspor and Kasimpasa go head-to-head at the Mersin Stadyumu on Monday evening.
Both teams got nothing out of their respective season openers last time out and will now look to get themselves back on track with all three points here.
Match preview
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Kasimpasa were guilty of throwing away an advantage late on in their curtain-raiser against Konyaspor, which ended in a 3-2 defeat at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadyumu on Saturday.
Sami Ugurlu's men looked set to mark their return to league action with all three points having led 2-1, but Danijel Aleksic and Umut Nayir both struck late to compete a remarkable turnaround.
The Apaches recorded their highest-ever top-flight finish last season where they ended fifth, although European football was just out of reach with only the top four sides in contention for continental qualification.
Kasimpasa will back their attack to inspire them to another successful league journey this term after scoring the fourth-most goals in the entire division during the 2023-24 campaign behind Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor.
However, Monday's visitors make the trip having netted just once across their last three away outings, which have yielded one point from a possible nine in that time—a goalless stalemate against Caykur Rizespor.
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Having led the contest heading into its final 10 minutes, Hatayspor were on course to record a shock victory over defending champions Galatasaray at the Rams Park on Friday, before late goals from Mauro Icardi and Michy Batshuayi turned the game on its head.
Nonetheless, Ozhan Pulat's men put on a spirited display and would have been pleased to see Joelson Fernandes back among the goals after going the entirety of the previous campaign without finding the back of the net.
That was a first league defeat in five outings for the Guneyin Yildizi, who racked up an impressive eight points from the final 12 available to avoid relegation by a close shave last time out, finishing just one point above the drop zone.
Hatayspor made a relatively decent start to proceedings last season, going unbeaten in the first five gameweeks, but they have tasted defeat in their first involvement this time around and now go in search of a return to winning ways.
Revenge will definitely be on the agenda for Monday's hosts, having been on the receiving end of a comprehensive 3-0 thrashing in their most recent meeting against the visitors on January 30.
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Team News
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Kasimpasa's Iron Gomis is unavailable for selection once again as he continues to battle with an injury that has sidelined him since the start of May.
Dries Saddiki and Erdem Cetinkaya also miss out through muscle injuries, but the latter is nearing a comeback after eight months out of action.
Cape Verde international Nuno Da Costa has found the back of the net in three of his last four outings for the away side, making him one to keep a close watch on here.
Having ended a season-long goal drought against Galatasaray last time out, 21-year-old Joelson Fernandes will be looking to pick up where he left off for Hatayspor.
Rui Pedro made his return from a suspension in the aforementioned game, and the forward is expected to retain his place in the hosts' starting lineup.
Hatayspor possible starting lineup:
Kardesler; Sertel, Yilmaz, Kilama, Corekci; Matondo, Diack, Pedro; Fernandes, Bamgboye, Strandberg
Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:
Gianniotis; Winck, Omeruo, Ciftpinar, Ozcan; Sadiku, Hajradinovic, Kara; Fall, Ouanes, Da Costa
We say: Hatayspor 2-1 Kasimpasa
Hatayspor and Kasimpasa were a tad unlucky to have come away empty-handed last time out, and there will be optimism on both sides heading into this one.
We just about fancy the hosts to narrowly edge out their visitors in what should be an open and end-to-end contest.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adepoju Marvellous
