Sports Mole previews Sunday's Turkish Super Lig clash between Kasimpasa and Konyaspor, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Kasimpasa aim to sustain their rejuvenated momentum as Konyaspor visit Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium on Sunday for round eight of the Turkish Super Lig.
The Apaches are unbeaten in four heading into this contest and sit 11th with eight points from seven matches, while the Anatolian Eagle ended their winless run by defeating Istanbul Basaksehir last weekend.
Match preview
Kasimpasa endured a dismal opening with three straight defeats, but Shota Arveladze's men have shown signs of revival with more composed outings in recent weeks.
The first breakthrough came with a narrow win at Fatih Karagumruk, followed by back-to-back draws against Samsunspor and Fenerbahce, before victory was secured on their visit to Rize.
Mortadha Ben Ouanes struck a stoppage-time header to seal a dramatic 2-1 win against Rizespor, with Kasimpasa making the most of just 37% possession and converting both of their efforts on target.
It was only the second occasion this season that Arveladze's side had managed more than one goal, raising their tally to seven, while the defence has also been neither excellent nor poor with eight conceded.
Despite the recent lift, the Apaches's Achilles heel remains a troubled record at Erdogan, where they have not reccorded any victory in six league appearances (D2, L4), including two defeats and a draw from three outings this campaign.
Konyaspor, meanwhile, snapped a three-game winless spell last weekend with a hard-fought 2-1 success against Istanbul Basaksehir on home soil.
Recep Ucar described the display as one he ''would never forget in his career", praising the resilience of his side, who held firm despite being a man short for over 25 minutes.
The manager now aims to build on that spirited effort to spark a stronger run after opening the campaign with emphatic triumphs over Eyuspor and Gaziantep, which was then halted by a draw with Goztepe followed by losses against Alanyaspor and Galatasaray.
The Anatolian Eagle have taken 10 points from six games to sit eighth in the table, fuelled by a prolific frontline with 12 goals that places them joint second among the division's most clinical attacks.
Having conceded eight goals at the other end, Sunday's meeting promises to be thrilling, especially with the last two encounters between the sides producing six and five goals respectively.
The most recent battle at Erdogan ended 3-2 in favour of Konyaspor, while the return leg produced a 3-3 spectacle that halted their four-game winning streak in the fixture, though Kasimpasa are still winless in 15 meetings (D7, L8).
The Anatolian Eagles have managed only one victory from three away fixtures this term, though they can enter Sunday's clash with optimism, given their only defeat on the road came against champions Galatasaray, and another positive result in Beyoglu will be the target.
Kasimpasa Turkish Super Lig form:
L
L
W
D
D
W
Konyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:
W
W
D
L
L
W
Team News
Haris Hajradinovic limped off in the first half against Rizespor and is a doubt for this tie, potentially the only change from last weekend's starting XI..
Should Hajradinovic miss out, Ali Yavuz Kol could be drafted onto the left wing, with Mamadou Fall at the opposite flank, while Ben Ouanes shifts into the playmaker's role.
The Tunisian forward was the catalyst in Rize, not only nodding home the winner but also creating Pape Habib Gueye's opener to extend his assist tally to four, with his vision set to be crucial again.
Cafu continues to serve a two-game ban following his dismissal against Fenerbahce, with the sanction also coming with a fine of 53,500 liras (£960).
Konyaspor will miss Enis Bardhi through suspension after the midfielder's red card last time out, with Pedrinho expected to slot in behind the striker.
Ufuk Akyol remains sidelined with a calf issue that has ruled him out all season, while Riechedly Bazoer could also be unavailable for a second straight match.
Mehmet Umut Nayir, who has already struck three times this season, is expected to spearhead the attack once more as he looks to rediscover his scoring touch after drawing a blank last week.
Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:
Gianniotis; Winck, Opoku, Szalai, Frimpong; Baldursson; Fall, Ouanes, Ustundag, Kol; Gueye
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Ertas; Yazgili, Jevtovic, Demirbag; Andzouana, Ibrahimoglu, Pedrinho, Guilherme; Ndao, Muleka; Nayir
We say: Kasimpasa 1-2 Konyaspor
Konyaspor have dominated this fixture and claimed victory on each of their last three visits to Kasimpasa, and with confidence restored by last weekend's win the momentum leans towards the visitors extending their joy at a ground that has been kind to them.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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