Caykur Rizespor will welcome Fenerbahce to the Caykur Didi Stadium on Sunday for their round three Turkish Super Lig clash.
Both teams have enjoyed unbeaten starts to the season, with Rizespor aiming to extend their winning streak and Fenerbahce seeking to return to winning ways.
Match preview
Caykur Rizespor impressed in their return to the Turkish Super Lig last season, finishing ninth despite a late-season slump under the guidance of Ilhan Palut.
The Black Sea Sparrowhawk have started the new campaign strongly, recording a 1-1 draw with Istanbul Basaksehir on the opening day, and securing a 2-1 victory over Adana Demirspor in their most recent match.
Husniddin Aliqulov and Ali Sowe scored for Rizespor, and they held on for their first win despite Yusuf Barasi pulling one back for Adana in the 97th minute.
The Black Sea Sparrowhawk are one of seven teams in the Super Lig with at least one win and no defeats, and they will be hoping to maintain this record against a formidable opponent like Fenerbahce.
However, Rizespor face a daunting challenge, having lost their last 10 matches against Fenerbahce across all competitions – their last victory against the Yellow Canaries came in a home league game in 2018.
While Rizespor are unbeaten at home in their last six matches, their most recent defeat at home was inflicted by the visitors back in February.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahce will be aiming to continue their dominance in this fixture, especially after two consecutive draws across all competitions.
A 1-1 draw with Lille in the Champions League and a 2-2 draw with Goztepe have left Jose Mourinho's side under pressure to deliver a strong performance.
Despite taking a 2-0 lead against Goztepe, Fenerbahce conceded two late goals to draw the match, and this result will be a disappointment for the Yellow Canaries, who fell short of dethroning Galatasaray last season.
Eager to end their two-match away winless streak across all competitions, securing victory against Rizespor is important for Mourinho and his team to avoid the prospect of extra pressure from the Fenerbahce faithfuls.
Team News
Caykur Rizespor centre-forward Sowe opened his account for the season last time out and is expected to retain his spot in attack, with Dal Varesanovic playing behind him.
Left-winger Benhur Keser ruptured his tendon earlier this month and is set to remain on the sidelines until November.
For the visitors, Fred will remain on the sidelines as he is not expected back in action until next month following a ligament injury.
Irfan Can Egribayat and Mert Hakan Yandas are serving bans imposed by the league and will not feature in the matchday squad.
Caykur Rizespor possible starting lineup:
Akkan; Sahin, Mocsi, Alikulov, Hojer; Akintola, Papanikolaou; Varesanovic, Olawoyin, Zeqiri; Sowe
Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Osayi-Samuel, Becao, Soyuncu, Oosterwolde; Yuksek, Szymanski; Tadic, Saint-Maximin; Dzeko, En-Nesyri
We say: Caykur Rizespor 1-2 Fenerbahce
Rizespor's recent victory over Adana away from home should boost their confidence, but given their 10-match losing streak against Fenerbahce and the visitors' desperate need for a win, we are predicting an away victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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