Both looking to build on respectable points last time out, Ankaragucu will do battle with Fatih Karagumruk at Eryaman Stadyumu on Wednesday night in the Turkish Super Lig.
The Eagles shared the spoils with Adana Demirspor in their most recent fixture, while Fatih scored late on to rescue a point against Istanbul Basaksehir on the weekend.
Match preview
Ankaragucu extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to four matches with a 1-1 draw against Demirspor on Saturday afternoon, with Pedrinho's strike cancelling out Emre Akbaba's opener for the hosts at Yeni Adana Stadyumu, where the Eagles had lost their previous three visits.
Emre Belozoglu's men currently occupy 12th position in the Super Lig standings with a tally of 25 points from the opening 21 matches in the division, sitting four points ahead of 17th-placed Hatayspor and 10 points behind Besiktas, who lie in the lowest of the European spots.
Leading the Golden Boot race for the Eagles so far this term is German Efkan Bekiroglu, who has made the net ripple on five occasions in 19 league appearances, and two assists for the 28-year-old shows that he is also able to fulfil his primary duties as an attacking midfielder.
Wednesday's hosts have a stellar recent record at their Eryaman Stadyumu home, losing just one of the last seven matches across all competitions in front of their own supporters, including back-to-back successes most recently against Kasimpasa in the Super Lig and Rizespor in the Turkish Cup.
The reverse fixture between the Eagles and Fatih occurred in August, when Eagles talisman Bekiroglu bagged his maiden goal of the campaign to force a share of the spoils in Istanbul, as Swedish midfielder Marcus Rohden had put the hosts ahead via a second-half strike.
Following 11-straight matches across the Super Lig and Turkish Cup which yielded either victory or defeat, Fatih Karagumruk shared the points for the first time since November when they hosted Istanbul rivals Basaksehir on the weekend, but it could have been a sixth loss in seven league games for the Black and Reds.
On the stroke of half time, midfielder Berkay Ozcan put the visitors ahead, and it looked as if it would stay that way until the final whistle, but in the 88th minute, centre-back Salih Dursun netted his first goal of the season at a crucial moment to force a share of the spoils.
A wretched run of form over the December and New Year period has left Shota Arveladze's side teetering on the edge of the Super Lig relegation zone, sitting 16th in the league standings with 21 points from as many contests, ahead of 17th-placed Hatayspor thanks to a superior goal difference.
If the division was purely based on away form, Fatih would be in even greater danger as the campaign approaches its business end, as the Istanbul-based club have won just one of their 10 outings in the Super Lig in 2023-24, with goals from Ryan Mendes and Adnan Ugur sealing a comfortable victory at Basaksehir in August.
With the likes of Mbaye Diagne moving onto pastures new in recent years, Wednesday's visitors have had to share the goalscoring responsibility around their ranks as they fight to preserve their first-tier status, but Guven Yalcin and Rohden currently lead the pack with four league strikes each.
Team News
Ankaragucu are without the services of winger Garry Rodrigues for Wednesday's clash, with the 33-year-old representing Cape Verde at the Africa Cup of Nations this month.
Ali Sowe is another first-team star representing his country in the Ivory Coast, and the Eagles will certainly miss his goal-getting abilities in this one.
After starting in three-straight stalemates in December, Alper Uludag picked up a knee injury and is not expected back in action until the middle of February.
As for Fatih, Davide Biraschi received his marching orders in the second half of the match against Basaksehir, meaning the Italian is suspended for this midweek meeting.
Mendes has joined compatriot Rodrigues in the Cape Verde squad for AFCON, while former West Ham United attacker Sofiane Feghouli is looking to help Algeria to glory on the international stage.
Ankaragucu possible starting lineup:
Gungordu; Kitsiou, Radakovic, Mujakic, Hanousek; Cigerci, Pedrinho, Morutan, Guneren, Cephas; Chatzigiovanis
Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:
Sirigu; Vesli, Salih Dursun, Tintis, Mercan; Bertolacci, Paoletti, Teklic, Eysseric, Yalcin; Serdar Dursun
We say: Ankaragucu 1-0 Fatih Karagumruk
Ankaragucu have found some form over recent weeks and will be confident of recording a third-straight home success on Wednesday night against a Super Lig struggler.
Fatih have lost back-to-back away matches in January without finding the net, and we are predicting that theme will continue for the Black and Reds in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Carter White
