Still seeking their first victory at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium this season, Kasimpasa play host to Genclerbirligi in the opening fixture of Turkish Super Lig matchday 16 on Friday.
The Apaches have failed to win any of their seven games on their own turf in the campaign, leaving them with the worst home record in the division, while the Youth are fourth from bottom in the away standings, having collected only four points from a possible 24 on the road.
Match preview
Just three points from a possible 21 underline Kasimpasa's struggles at home, with their only results at Erdogan this season coming through a run of consecutive 1-1 draws against Fenerbahce, Konyaspor and Besiktas between late September and October.
The latest setback at the ground came in a 3-1 defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir on matchday 14, which proved the final straw for Shota Arveladze, who was subsequently dismissed as the Beyoglu club appointed former Antalyaspor manager Emre Belozoglu.
Coming away with a point at an in-form Kocaelispor might not be the worst introduction for Belozoglu, especially given it was Kasimpasa's first clean sheet in their last 10 league outings, but the new boss may have concerns about his side's lack of sharpness in the final third.
In a game where the hosts registered the only shot on target, the Apaches managed just three efforts and 34% possession, though the 45-year-old gaffer has expressed belief in his players and will push for a stronger display on Friday, with the aim of steering the team clear of danger.
Just one point and two places above the relegation zone in the Super Lig standings, victory on Friday would see Kasimpasa leapfrog their visitors, who sit directly above on goal difference, and there is also the possibility of the hosts rising as high as 11th with favourable results elsewhere.
© Imago / IMAGO / Seskim Photo TR
Meanwhile, Genclerbirligi experienced an upturn in position, with last weekend's 3-0 success over bottom-placed Fatih Karagumruk at Eryaman Stadium lifting them out of the relegation zone and into 13th place.
A 29th-minute opener from Ogulcan Ulgun set the right tone for Volkan Demirel's side, who added two more after the interval courtesy of Sekou Koita and substitute Metehan Mimaroglu, securing their fourth victory of the league campaign.
Gencler appear to be finding their stride, with consecutive clean sheets and eight goals scored across those two outings, having dismantled lower division side Sakaryaspor to progress to the next round of the Turkish Cup.
However, a steadier run in the Super Lig remains the target for the Youth, who step into this fixture chasing their first set of back-to-back wins in the top-flight campaign, while also aiming to break a curious pattern of consecutive defeats that has followed both of their previous two victories in the competition.
Meanwhile, losing three of their last four visits to Kasimpasa offers little comfort, as Demirel seeks a solution to his side's problem of falling apart completely, a flaw reflected in a whopping nine defeats - the second-most in the division - from his 15 league outings.
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A new manager at Kasimpasa's helm brought a different shape to Arveladze's favoured 5-3-2, with Belozoglu deploying a 4-2-3-1 against Kocaelispor.
Pape Habib Gueye could lead the line once again, although Kubilay Kanatsizkus is also an option if the head coach decides to ring the changes, while Yusuf Barasi, Fousseni Diabate and Mamadou Fall could retain their places in the three-man advanced midfield.
Nicholas Opoku, Adem Arous and Godfried Frimpong all kept their spots in the backline, but it was Attila Szalai who made way, while Jhon Espinoza filled in at right back in place of the injured Claudio Winck, and that could be repeated on Friday.
Cem Ustundag and Andri Fannar Baldursson should retain their partnership in the double pivot, especially with Cafu injured, while Mortadha Ben Ouanes could miss a second consecutive outing.
Haris Hajradinovic is expected to continue his spell on the sidelines due to a knee problem, while Ege Albayrak and Ali Emre Yanar remain suspended for 45 days as part of the ongoing betting investigation.
Only recently returning from a two-game injury layoff, Ulgun went from scoring the opener to picking up his fourth booking of the campaign last time out, while being forced off in the second half suggests Genclerbirligi may have to cope without the 27-year-old beyond Friday's game.
Meanwhile, Metehan Mimaroglu, who replaced Ulgun, impressed with an assist before adding a goal to seal the victory against Fatih and should be in line for a start here.
Gokhan Akkan, Abdullah Sahindere, Peter Etebo, Emirhan Unal, Moussa Kyabou and Ensar Kemaloglu are all expected to remain out for Friday's visit to Kasimpasa.
Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:
Gianniotis; Frimpong, Opoku, Arous, Espinoza; Ustundag, Baldursson; Barasi, Diabate, Fall; Gueye
Genclerbirligi possible starting lineup:
Velho; Pereira, Goutas, Zuzek, Thalisson; Dele-Bashiru, Onur; Gurpuz, Koita, Mimaroglu; Niang
We say: Kasimpasa 2-1 Genclerbirligi
Just two home games remain before the winter break, and with the other coming against leaders Galatasaray, Kasimpasa will see Friday's fixture as their best chance to avoid entering the mid-season without giving the Beyoglu crowd something to cheer.
The Apaches's recent success in this very fixture also provides added motivation, so the hosts could take full spoils here, especially considering the visitors have struggled on the road this season.
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