Preview: Gaziantep vs. Sivasspor - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts kicked off their season with a loss at title-challengers Fenerbahce last time out, while Sivasspor shared the spoils with Samsunspor on home soil.

Match preview

Gaziantep had a tough task on the opening day of their Super Lig season last Sunday when they travelled to Ulker Stadyumu to face Fenerbahce, and the visitors were unable to collect any points.

A brace from former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko had Ismail Kartal's men two goals ahead within 20 minutes, and despite a consolation from centre-back Arda Kizildag, Gaziantep left empty handed.

Erdal Gunes's men now return to their Kaylon Stadyumu home for the first time this season, having only managed to earn 13 points in 18 league matches at the venue last term.

Gazi remain the Super Lig for 2023-24 despite not playing a competitive match since February before last Sunday, with an earthquake earlier in the year making the club unable to fulfill their fixtures in second half of 2022-23.

The hosts have been relatively busy in the summer transfer window, with 35-year-old winger Max Gradel - formerly of Bournemouth and Leicester City - making the switch from Sunday's opposition.

Sivasspor commenced their Super Lig campaign in respectable fashion with a 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Samsunspor, however supporters in the Yeni Sivas 4 Eylul Stadyumu may have been expecting maximum points.

For the majority of the contest it looked as if Servet Cetin's men would be collecting three points courtesy of a first-half strike from Clinton N'Jie, however Soner Aydogdu's set-piece delivery found the head of Rick van Drongelen who levelled the score late on.

A Turkish cup triumph in the 2021-22 season meant Sivasspor competed in the Europa Conference League last term, however there will no such European adventures in 2023-24 after the club finished 14th in the Super Lig - their lowest placement in seven years.

Sunday's visitors are currently three games unbeaten against Gaziantep, however a 5-1 loss at Gaziantep Stadyumu in February 2022 will still be fresh in the memory for the away supporters who were unlucky enough to have trekked to that particular contest.

Gaziantep Turkish Super Lig form:

Sivasspor Turkish Super Lig form:

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Team News

Gaziantep will be without the services of midfielder Alexandru Maxim on Sunday night, after the Romanian collected his second yellow card just 23 minutes into the season opener at Fenerbache.

Head coach Kartal has an important decision to make in terms of who replaces the 33-year-old in the team's engine room, with the starting berth likely to be handed to Luka Stankovski.

As for Sivasspor, former Leicester attacker Ahmed Musa has been a standout performer since joining the club earlier this year, and the Nigerian should partner goalscorer N'Jie and Emrah Bassan in a menacing-looking front three on the weekend.

The visitors will have considerable talent sitting on their bench, with Luxembourg's Gerson Rodrigues playing a major part in his nation's success in the UEFA Nations League over the past few years.

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Sen; M'Bakata, Kizildag, Djilobodji, Khacef; Jevtovic, Soyalp, Eskihellac, Stankovski, Gradel; Markovic

Sivasspor possible starting lineup:

Vural; Okumus, Osmanpasa, Camara, Ciftci; Arslan, Konak, Saiz; Bassan, Musa, N'Jie

We say: Gaziantep 1-1 Sivasspor

Gaziantep were dominated at title-challengers Fenerbahce last time out, however a home clash against Sivasspor should represent an opportunity to impose themselves on the game to a greater extent.

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