Preview: Kasimpasa vs. Yeni Malatyaspor - prediction, team news, lineups

Kasimpasa will be looking to end a run of eight matches without a win when they welcome the visit of Yeni Malatyaspor on Saturday morning.

Both sides will be aware of the threat of relegation and, whilst Yeni Malatyaspor may currently be outside the drop zone, a win for Kasimpasa could see them out of the bottom three by the end of the weekend.

Match preview

A welcome victory over recently-promoted Giresunspor in the second game of the season brought about Kasimpasa's first three points of the campaign, yet they have failed to taste triumph since.

Last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Caykur Rizespor was the third consecutive result by that scoreline for Kasimpasa, whilst only a 2-2 draw at home Konyaspor breaks up what has been a torrid run of seven losses from eight.

Defeat against Yeni Malatyaspor on Saturday would equal their worst losing streak in the division since January 2020, when the Apaches registered four consecutive losses prior to COVID-19 postponing the Turkish Super Lig.

They went on to finish in 10th that season, yet they were able to call on the services of star-striker Bengali-Fode Koita, whose 12 goals were crucial to their top-half finish.

Koita has since moved on to league leaders Trabzonspor, whilst his former side have struggled to replace the goals provided by the Guinean forward.

Only three sides have scored fewer goals in the Super Lig than Kasimpasa, yet despite sitting six places above the Istanbul based club, Yeni Malatyaspor have only managed to net on one more occasion.

Yeni Malatyaspor have also conceded more goals than Kasimpasa, but a run of two consecutive wins has allowed the Tigers of the East to be looking up rather than down.

Well into their fifth season as a Super Lig club, it currently looks as if they boast a strong chance of making it six next year, yet it was not always as comfortable for Yeni Malatyaspor at the beginning of the campaign.

Five defeats in a row during September and the start of October saw Yeni Malatyaspor as low as 17th, before they turned to Marius Sumudica in the hope of rescuing them from the drop.

The manager, who led Astra Giurgiu to a Romanian league title in 2015-16, whilst subsequently knocking West Ham United out of the Europa League for a second consecutive season, has enjoyed a 100% record as Yeni Malatyaspor so far.

Whether or not he extends that record to his third match in charge will depend on this weekend's result against Kasimpasa, yet his side are winless in their last four visits to the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium.

In fact, they boast just two victories from their previous eight encounters against Kasimpasa, with Sumudica no doubt hoping the new manager bounce continues for at least one more week.

Team News

Nicolai Jorgensen was billed as the statement signing for Kasimpasa at the start of the season, yet the ex-Feyenoord striker has netted on just two occasions so far.

Instead, it has been loanee Umut Bozok who has provided the most goals for Kasimpasa, scoring on four occasions this season, including a penalty in last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Rizespor.

Bozo will likely partner Jorgensen in attack for Kasimpasa, who will look to call on the defensive services of fellow summer signing Jeffrey Bruma.

Signed from Wolfsburg in the recent window, the one-time Premier League winner has made six appearances so far, registering just one clean sheet.

Kasimpasa boss Ekrem Orenc will be without Kevin Varga yet again through injury, whilst Valentin Eysseric will sit the game out due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Much of Yeni Malatyaspor's attack has this season has been reliant on the form of Benjamin Tetteh, as the former Sparta Prague striker has netted five goals in nine games so far.

Tetteh was amongst the scorers in their last win against Altay SK, as was his strike partner Adem Buyuk, who has scored three goals himself this season.

The pair will lead the line for Yeni Malatyaspor, whilst at the opposite end goalkeeper Ertac Ozbir will be looking to make it two clean sheets from three.

Elsewhere, Sumudica will have a full squad for the trip, aside from Sadik Ciftpinar, who is absent through suspension.

Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:
Taskiran; Brecka, Donk, Bruma; Hadergjonaj, Ben Ouanes, Serbest, Sadiku, Travnik; Jorgensen, Bozok

Yeni Malatyaspor possible starting lineup:
Ozbir; Kaya, Wallace, Haddadi; Eskihellac, Aabid, Ndong, Hafez; Chouiar, Tetteh, Buyuk

We say: Kasimpasa 1-2 Yeni Malatyaspor

Kasimpasa are flirting with relegation disaster at the moment and will need to improve their results if they want to avoid dropping down a division.

This should represent an ideal fixture to regain form, yet Yeni Malatyaspor are enjoying an upturn in fortunes and will be keen to see that extend this weekend.