Although Antalyaspor is the only team with 12 league games played to date, they are only three points clear of trouble and will be hoping to use those games in hand to move out of the bottom four.
Although they have a much better goal differential than most teams below them, their defensive weakness in friendlies is a cause for concern.
In preparation for the return of club play, Nuri Sahin’s team suffered defeats to Maccabi Tel Aviv, Fatih Karagumruk, and Napoli in all three of their friendlies.
Even though their top scorer Haji Wright was away with the USA at the World Cup, they still managed to score five goals over those three games.
On their competitive return, a heavily rotated Antalyaspor team defeated Manisa in the Turkish Cup midweek. Once their star players rejoin the team, there shouldn’t be any worries about a relegation battle given the calibre of their squad.
With players like Omer Toprak, Admir Mehmedi, Luiz Adriano, and Shoya Nakajima at their disposal, it is disappointing that they are not competing for positions closer to those in Europe.
While Ankaragucu lost both of their exhibition games without scoring, Antalyaspor at least displayed some attacking skill during the intermission.
Omer Erdogan’s team lost to Sivasspor and Konyaspor, and with Ankaragucu currently sitting in the relegation zone, issues need to be resolved if they want to steer clear of danger.
They scored 10 goals in victories over Hatayspor and Amedspor before the break, and this week they easily defeated second division stragglers Tuzlaspor 2-0 in the cup.
But it was always going to be difficult for them to bounce back from a terrible season-opening performance in which they managed just one point from their first five games, but they did manage three victories and three draws in their next eight games.
They still remain in the bottom four, but that upturn in result can provide optimism that they have the ability to pick up points, and a win in the cup will only further boost momentum on their league return.
1×2 Betting Odds
Wright, an American international who has scored nine league goals in just 12 games this season, could be key for the hosts in this match if he is in top form.
Before the break, Ankaragucu’s performance had improved, but this match could be decided by a player’s quality.
Antalyaspor, playing in front of their home side are the favourites to win this with odds @ 2.02.
The away side are the underdogs with odds @ 3.82.
The possibility of a stalemate stands @ 3.80.
Total goals over/under
The odds that the total number of goals score will be over 2.5, stands @ 1.87.
While the odds that the total number of goals will be under 2.5, stands @ 2.06.
