Preview: Antalyaspor vs. Gaziantep

Sports Mole previews Monday’s Turkish Super Lig clash between Antalyaspor and Gaziantep, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Two sides who could do well with all three points go head to head in round 28 of the Turkish Super Lig as Antalyaspor play host to Gaziantep on Sunday evening.

Having failed to win their last four visits to the Corendon Airlines Park, the Falcons will head into the weekend looking to end this five-year spell and move out of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Antalyaspor failed to snap their run of 15 consecutive games without a win against Galatasaray as they fell to a 2-1 defeat when the two sides squared off at Rams Park on Monday.

Turkish midfielder Kerem Akturkoglu scored either side of Sander van de Streek’s 33rd-minute equaliser to hand the hosts their 23rd league win of the season and keep them within one point of league leaders Fenerbahce.

Antalyaspor have now gone six consecutive games without a win, claiming two draws and losing four, including a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Besiktas in the Turkish Cup round of 16 on February 8.

This slump in form has seen Sergen Yalcin’s men drop to ninth-place in the Super Lig table, level on 35 points with 10th-placed Kayserispor and 11 points adrift of the Conference League qualification spot.

While Antalyaspor will be looking to find their feet on Monday, they go up against an opposing side who are unbeaten in nine of their last 10 encounters, claiming four wins and five draws since February 2015.

Gaziantep, on the other hand, suffered another blow in their battle at the wrong end of the table as they were beaten 2-0 by Istanbul Basaksehir at the Gaziantep Stadium last Saturday.

Following a goalless first half, Krzysztof Piatek broke the deadlock right on the hour mark to hand the hosts the lead before substitute Mehdi Abeid put the result beyond reach with a 96th-minute goal.

Marius Sumudica’s side have now failed to win nine of their last 10 league outings since their turn of the year — losing three and picking up six draws — with a 3-1 victory at Istanbulspor on February 11 being the exception.

This poor start to the year has put the Falcons’ five-year spell in the top flight in peril as they sit 17th in the Super Lig table, one point behind 16th-placed Hatayspor just outside the relegation zone.

While Gaziantep will be backing themselves to return to winning ways on Monday, Particularly given their recent dominance against Antalyaspor, they have failed to taste victory in their last four visits to the Corendon Airlines Park, losing twice and picking up three draws since September 2014.

Antalyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Gaziantep Turkish Super Lig form:

Team News
Israeli striker Sagiv Jehezkel has missed each of Antalyaspor’s last nine matches through a club suspension and will play no part in Monday’s game.

Full-back Erdogan Yesilyurt will also serve a one-game suspension after crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Galatasaray on Monday.

In his absence, 24-year-old Mert Yilmaz will push for a place in the starting XI, forming the back four with Veysel Sari, Bahadir Ozturk and veteran defender Guray Vural.

Gaziantep remain without the services of experienced midfielder Bryan Acosta, who has been ruled out since coming off injured against Sivasspor on January 21.

He is joined on the Falcons’ injury table by centre-back Ulas Zengin, who continues his long road to full fitness after suffering an Achilles tendon rupture last July.

Turkish midfielder Mustafa Eskihellac has missed the last two matches since picking up a muscle problem against Istanbulspor in February and is a doubt for Monday’s clash.

Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:
Leite, Yilmaz, Sari, Ozturk, Vural; Kaluzinski; Van de Streek, Saric, Akyol, Larsson; Buksa

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:
Nita; Kizildag, N’Koulou, Ersoy; Morais, Ozcicek, Badji, Gradel, Sorescu; Monteiro, Dragus

We say: Antalyaspor 2-1 Gaziantep
Antalyaspor and Gaziantep have struggled to get going in recent weeks and will head into Monday’s clash in search of a pick-me-up. Yalcin’s men have lost just one of their last 10 Super Lig home games since October and we see them scraping a narrow victory in this one.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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