The bottom two sides in the Turkish Super Lig table — Samsunspor and Istanbulspor — face off at Samsun 19 Mayis Stadium in a rescheduled game on Wednesday.
The gameweek four encounter was abandoned midway through the first half in early September, and maximum points for either side could aid their survival push.
Match preview
A lot has changed at Samsunspor since their September 3 encounter with Istanbulspor was abandoned, with Markus Gisdol replacing Huseyin Eroglu as head coach of the struggling side.
Since Gisdol's appointment on October 10, the Red Lightning have lost just one of their three games under the freshly-appointed manager, who recently masterminded the newly promoted club's first victory of 2023-24 against Hatayspor in round 10.
It remains to be seen if November 6's 2-1 win is built on, with the 19th-placed side already looking nervously at the table in the battle for survival.
Samsunspor are five points shy of safety and need victories against teams around them to rise in the standings and ultimately avoid immediate relegation from the top division.
Having ended the season's longest winless run (nine games), Gisdol hopes to extend his side's undefeated home run to three games after a goalless encounter with Istanbul Basaksehir and last Saturday's victory over Hatayspor.
As for the visitors, nearly the same applies to the cellar-dwelling side, who have lost their last two Super Lig fixtures against Kasimpasa (3-1) and Pendikspor (4-2).
The Bulls' belief that Hakan Yakin's October 16 arrival to replace Fatih Tekke would bear fruit was backed up by a 2-1 debut win over Ankaragucu six days after the former Turkey international was appointed by the club.
Consecutive defeats have followed since that October 22 triumph, and the bottom club seek their first away win of the season to edge ahead of Wednesday's opponents in the table.
While five of the eight goals Istanbulspor have scored have come since Yakin's appointment, they are left exposed at the back, with eight conceded in three games under the new boss.
Whether the newfound attacking verve bears fruit in Wednesday's rescheduled clash is anyone's guess, but goals win games, and the Bulls have a chance of defeating anyone so long they manage to keep their opponents out.
Team News
Every Samsunspor player who started the game in September is available, even if Muhammet Ali Ozbaskici has seldom played for the first team since Gisdol took charge, so forced substitutions due to injury are not expected from the off on Wednesday.
Thus, Kingsley Schindler — the home side's match-winner against Hatayspor — should return to the lineup at right-back, while Yunus Emre Cift, Soner Aydogdu, Moryke Fofana and Gaetan Laura — substitutes in the recent league victory — could return to the team.
Taylan Antalyali is nearing a return from injury, but the midfielder was not expected to participate against Istanbulspor.
Despite starting for the visitors in the abandoned September fixture, Ibrahim Yilmaz was released by the club last month and should be replaced by Djakaridja Traore.
Ali Yasar should come in for Vefa Temel at left-back, while Simon Deli is doubtful due to a foot injury.
Samsunspor possible starting lineup:
Kocuk; Schindler, Cift, Satka, Van Drongelen; Kilinc, Aydogdu, Bennasser, Fofana; Mouandilmadji, Laura
Istanbulspor possible starting lineup:
Jensen; Duhaney, Erdogan, Yesil, Yasar; Ndao, Rroca, Loshaj, Jackson; Gultekin, Traore
We say: Samsunspor 1-1 Istanbulspor
The spoils could be shared on Wednesday, with Samsunspor extending their undefeated home run under Gisdol against free-scoring Istanbulspor.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
