The battle of the bottom feeders in the Turkish Super Lig unfolds on Monday as Hatayspor host Adana Demirspor at the Mersin Stadyumu.
Both Mediterranean sides are enduring dismal campaigns, though the hosts may feel slightly more optimistic, sitting just seven points adrift of safety, a more manageable gap compared to their visitors, who find themselves 14 points away following a punitive three-point deduction.
Match preview
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Hatayspor have endured a challenging couple of years, starting with their withdrawal from the top flight midway through the 2022-23 season due to a devastating earthquake that tragically claimed the lives of some players, which they followed with a tough battle for survival last season, narrowly escaping relegation by a single point.
The Star of the South began this campaign still struggling, failing to secure a win in their first 10 matches – a poor run that led to the departure of head coach Ozhan Pulat in early September, with Riza Calimbay stepping in to take charge.
Despite the managerial change, there has been little improvement for the Antakya-based side, though they eventually recorded their first and only victory of the season on November 9, a 3-1 win over Gaziantep.
Currently second-bottom in the Super Lig with just nine points, Hatayspor are winless in their last four matches, recording one defeat and three draws, the most recent being a 1-1 stalemate at home against Goztepe.
To compound their woes, Calimbay's men were eliminated from the Turkish Cup on Thursday, losing 1-0 away to third-division side Iskenderunspor, failing to muster a response after conceding in the 43rd minute.
Monday's clash offers Hatayspor an opportunity to halt their slide, especially as they have been slightly better than their visitors this season – however, history is not on their side, with just five wins from 29 meetings against Adana and only one victory in six top-flight encounters.
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Meanwhile, Adana Demirspor received an early Christmas boost last Monday with an impressive 2-1 home victory over highly-rated Besiktas, their first Super Lig win of the season and their second win this month across all competitions.
Since Mustafa Dalci replaced Serkan Damla, who resigned as head coach on November 28, the Blue Lightnings have managed victories in both the Turkish Cup and the Super Lig.
However, Adana's campaign remains troubled – a three-point deduction by the TFF licensing board earlier this month, due to licensing deficiencies, has left them with just two points despite a win and two draws on the board.
This represents a sharp decline for the Mediterranean club, who finished fourth in the Super Lig and qualified for European competition for the first time in their history as recently as the 2022-23 season, before narrowly avoiding relegation last term by four points.
Adana's only prior positive results this season had come away from home, and they will take some comfort from their solid record at Hatayspor – with five wins and six draws in 14 trips to their hosts, they have a historical edge to draw upon on Monday.
However, the joy of their recent league win was short-lived as they were knocked out of the Turkish Cup on Thursday, suffering a 2-0 defeat to third-tier side Kirklarelispor, a disappointment that will likely weigh on their minds as they head into this crucial encounter.
Team News
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Hatayspor will be without two key players for this clash, as Cemali Sertel (foot) and Jonathan Okoronkwo (ankle) are both sidelined until next month.
On a more positive note, midfielder Massanga Matondo, who recently recovered from a foot injury, made his return to the squad against Goztepe – although he was an unused substitute in that game, and will be looking to make an impact in this fixture.
Vincent Aboubakar, who netted his second league goal to secure a draw against Goztepe, will aim to build on that performance as he is expected to lead the line on Monday.
Meanwhile, Adana Demirspor will have to cope without midfielder Tayfun Aydogan, who is suspended after surpassing the yellow card threshold.
Defensive issues persist for the visitors, with Andrew Gravillon ruled out for the season due to a cruciate ligament injury, while Salih Kavrazli remains sidelined until next month with an ankle problem.
Adana's top scorer this term, Barasi, who has found the net five times in the league, will be eager to make his mark once again as he spearheads the attack.
Hatayspor possible starting lineup:
Kardesler; Corekci, Calvo, Kilama, Yilmaz; Diack, Saglam; Rivas, Pedro, Fernandes; Aboubakar
Adana Demirspor possible starting lineup:
Donmezer; Kurtulan, Burak, Kalender, Guler; Muanza, Aymbetov; Kol, Celik, Sari; Barasi
We say: Hatayspor 1-1 Adana Demirspor
Hatayspor have had a slightly better season compared to the visitors, but Adana Demirspor have shown increased resilience in recent times, which is why we expect a closely-fought encounter, with both sides likely to find the net in a stalemate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
