Round 11 of the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig season will kick off with Gaziantep hosting Goztepe SK at Gaziantep Stadyumu on Friday evening.
While the hosts are looking to edge closer to the top four, the visitors are hoping to steer further away from the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Gaziantep successfully secured their second Super Lig win of the season with a comeback 3-1 victory against Konyaspor last Sunday, extending their unbeaten run to three matches.
The Hawks conceded in the 13th minute to trail the clash but Ertugrul Ersoy's 28th-minute goal ensured they were level at the break, before Christopher Lungoyi and Deian Sorescu scored in the second half to complete the comeback and secure the win.
Selcuk Inan's men are now on nine points from nine matches, which has left them in 15th place just outside the relegation zone, though they are tied on points with 16th-placed Alanyaspor and only ahead due to a superior goal difference.
Next in line for Gaziantep is Goztepe, as the Hawks look to win successive league games for the first time since the tail end of the previous season.
However, recent meetings against Friday's visitors have not gone Gaziantep's way, failing to win any of the last two encounters, losing one and drawing one.
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Goztepe also head into this clash with a win, albeit in a more strenuous manner, as they had to play over an hour with a man down in an impressive 2-1 win over Trabzonspor.
Junior Dennis was sent off in the 28th minute, but that did not affect Goz as they took the lead on the hour mark via Solet Bomawoko, though the lead did not last long as Simon Banza leveled the game from the spot.
A draw against such an opponent with a man down would have been impressive for the Izmir-based side, but they took it a notch higher when David Tijanic scored a second in stoppage time to take all three points.
Stanimir Stoilov's side rose to sixth place in the table after the win with 15 points from nine matches, and are five points behind fourth-placed Besiktas.
Goztepe will hope they can finally secure a first victory on the road this season, having played four away matches without a win, drawing the opening two and losing the most recent two.
Team News
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Gaziantep will enter this match without Godfrey Stephen, who is currently sidelined with a leg injury and is not expected to return until next month.
Sorescu and Alexandru Maxim are the leading scorers for the Hawks in the Super Lig with two goals each, and the former will hope to score in back-to-back games.
Lungoyi opened his account in the last game, and he will hope to score once again if he starts in a front two with Kenan Kodro once again.
Meanwhile, Dennis is suspended for Goztepe after getting sent off last time out, and he is expected to miss one match.
Kubilay Kanatsizkus and Novatus Miroshi remain sidelined with ankle issues and are predicted to be out until the early part of next month.
Gaziantep possible starting lineup:
Dioudis; Ersoy, Viana, Saborit; Ndiaye; Sorescu, Kozlowski, Eskihellac, Maxim; Kodro, Lungoyi
Goztepe SK possible starting lineup:
Lis; Gunter, Heliton, Bokele; Silva, Dennis, Solet, Bayrak; Tijanic; Fofana, Juan
We say: Gaziantep 1-1 Goztepe SK
Gaziantep are unbeaten in their last three home matches and have shown some resilience in recent weeks, but we believe that Goztepe have also shown similar spirit, which could help them earn a draw here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
