Two sides with varying ambitions will face off in the Turkish Super Lig as Ankaragucu welcome Istanbul Basaksehir to Eryaman Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts are fighting to remain in the top-flight this season, while the visitors are looking to edge closer to the sides in the top four.
Match preview
© Reuters
Ankaragucu's stay in the Turkish top flight since 2018-19 is at risk as they sit in 16th, just above the relegation zone due to a superior goal difference over 17th-placed Hatayspor.
Emre Belozoglu's side are on a seven-game winless streak, last recording a league win close to two months ago, while winning just six of 28 matches all season. Their only victories across all competitions have come in the Turkish Cup where they are now in the semi-final after a quarter-final win over Fenerbahce.
Ankaragucu's main problem this season has been their inability to turn draws into wins, recording a joint-league-high 12 draws in this campaign so far.
With relegation looming, AG must find a way to win the remaining games of the season, starting from Saturday's match against Basaksehir.
However, they have a poor record against Saturday's opposition, with their last victory in this fixture coming in 2011.
Istanbul Basaksehir made it three league wins in a row, scoring a 91st-minute goal to secure a 1-0 win over Antalyaspor courtesy of Jerome Opoku.
The win over Antalya saw Cagdas Atan's side remain sixth in the Super Lig table, but they reduced the points between them and fourth-placed Besiktas, who lost their last game, to four points.
Having finished in fifth place last season, Basaksehir are on track to replicate that in this campaign, while they also have an outside chance of breaking into the top four.
The Grey Owls, who have won three of their last five away games in the league, will hope they can keep the momentum going this weekend against Ankaragucu.
Basaksehir's record at Ankara will however, leave them with a lot of confidence, winning five times, drawing five and losing just once in 11 trips there.
Team News
© Reuters
Ankaragucu will remain without backup goalkeeper Ertac Ozbir, who was sent off in their 1-1 draw with Istanbulspor.
They will also be without their top scorer Efkan Bekiroglu, who has missed the last two league matches and is expected to return later this month.
Ali Sowe and Garry Rodrigues are both sidelined with varying degree of injuries until next month.
Meanwhile, the visitors will line up without the duo of Patryk Szysz and Efe Arda Koyuncu, who are both nursing long-term injuries.
Defender Leo Dubois is also out with a muscle injury until later this month, leaving Omer Ali Sahiner at right-back heading into Saturday's game.
Basaksehir's leading scorer Krzysztof Piatek is expected to lead the line again, as he looks to add to his 13 goals in the league this season.
Ankaragucu possible starting lineup:
Gungordu; Kitsiou, Cetin, Mujakic, Karatas; Cigerci, Guneren; Bassogog, Pedrinho, Chatzigiovanis; Sowe
Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:
Babacan; Sahiner, Opoku, Ba, Abeid; Davidson; Aleksic, Figueiredo, Ozcan, Turuc; Piatek
We say: Ankaragucu 0-1 Istanbul Basaksehir
Istanbul Basaksehir have a great record against Ankaragucu and are enjoying a solid run of form at the moment. Meanwhile, the home side have struggled this season, dropping points in 11 of their 15 games as hosts. We expect a slender victory for the visitors.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
