Samsunspor is gearing up to end their prolonged winless streak as they face Hatayspor in the 2023-24 Super Lig season at the Samsun 19 Mayis Stadyumu this Saturday afternoon.
Match Preview
In their recent outing, Samsunspor faced yet another setback, suffering a 2-0 loss to Ankaragucu. This marked their seventh defeat in eight games, and it was also the second loss under their newly-appointed head coach, Markus Gisdol.
This unfortunate defeat has placed them at the bottom of the Super Lig table with just two points from their first nine games.
Their only solace came in the form of a draw against Sivasspor on the opening matchday of the season.
They had to endure over two months before securing another draw against Istanbul Basaksehir less than a fortnight ago.
Their struggles are evident in their goal-scoring record, with no goals in their last three Super Lig matches, making them the lowest-scoring team in the league, having only scored five goals.
Their woes extend to their home turf as well, with three consecutive losses before the 1-1 draw against Istanbul Basaksehir, suggesting that home support isn’t proving advantageous.
Contrastingly, Hatayspor currently holds the eighth spot on the table with 14 points, just two wins away from European places should the teams above them falter.
Their position could have been even better if not for two recent losses: a 4-2 away defeat to Fenerbahce and a 2-1 loss to Kayserispor at home.
Before these setbacks, Hatayspor enjoyed an eight-game unbeaten streak, including three wins and five draws.
In their last four away games, they registered three goalless draws and one loss to Fenerbahce, with their sole win coming on the opening matchday of the Super Lig against Pendikspor.
Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig Form: L, L, L, L, D, L
Hatayspor Turkish Super Lig Form: D, W, D, W, L, L
Team News
Samsunspor is expected to field an almost fully-fit squad, with midfielder Taylan Antalyali the only exception due to a muscle injury.
Antalyali is anticipated to recover by mid-November. Coach Markus Gisdol is likely to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, with Carlo Holse, Emre Kilinc, and Ercan Kara supporting lone striker Marius Mouandilmadji.
On the other hand, Hatayspor enters the match with an injury-free squad.
There might be changes in the starting lineup as some players were rested during a cup match following their league match two weeks ago against Fenerbahce.
Key players for Hatayspor include Carlos Strandberg and Oluwafisayo Dele-Bashiru, both having scored four times each this Super Lig season.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Samsunspor:
- Kocuk;
- Yavru, Satka, Van Drongelen, Gonul;
- Tait, Bennasser, Kilins, Kara, Holse;
- Mouandilmadji
Hatayspor:
- Kardesler;
- Rivas, Marcelin-Kilama, Bekaroglu, Ghoulam;
- Massanga, Aburjania, Strandberg, Lemkel Ze, Dele-Bashiru;
- Dadasov
Prediction:
Samsunspor is struggling to find their footing, and the recent coaching change hasn’t made a significant impact.
Hatayspor, with the opportunity to bounce back from their two-game losing streak, should capitalize on this match against the weakest team in the division.
- Our prediction: Samsunspor 0-2 Hatayspor