Preview: Giresunspor vs. Antalyaspor
Giresunspor will look to secure their Turkish Super Lig survival when they face Antalyaspor on the final matchday of the 2022-23 season.
While Giresunspor are one point adrift from safety, 12th-placed Antalyaspor only have league position to play for in Wednesday’s contest.
After picking up just one point in five matches, Giresunspor knew that they had to win in Saturday’s away meeting with Umraniyespor if they were to send their relegation fight to the final game of the season.
Riad Bajic proved to be Giresunspor’s hero, scoring the only goal of the game to secure his side their first away league victory since November.
Despite claiming just their third away win of the Turkish Super Lig season, Giresunspor will head into the final game of the season in the relegation zone with one point separating them from Istanbulspor and three points adrift of Sivasspor.
Should they collect all three points, Irfan Buz’s side will stay up if Istanbulspor fail to win and/or Sivasspor lose to Kayserispor, while a point will be enough if Istanbuslpor lose in their away meeting with Umraniyespor.
Giresunspor’s have experienced a mixed run of form at Cotanak Sports Complex, with their last five home games producing two wins, two defeats and one draw.
Antalyaspor, meanwhile, are currently sitting in 12th position and will fall significantly short of last season’s seventh-placed finish.
Wednesday’s visitors head into the final game off the back of a poor run of form after going through the entire month of May without picking up a win, collecting just two points from four matches.
In their most recent outing against Fenerbahce, Antalyaspor fell to a 2-0 away defeat following goals from Enner Valencia and Miha Zajc.
The disappointing result leaves Nuri Sahin’s side with just one win from their previous 12 away matches in the Turkish Super Lig.
Another away game awaits Antalayspor on Wednesday, and they will be keen to pick up a positive result for Sahin, who has announced that he will leave his head coach position after the final match of the season.
Giresunspor Turkish Super Lig form:
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Antalyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:
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We say: Giresunspor 1-1 Antalyaspor
Giresunspor will be desperate to pick up three points to help in their survival bid, but we think that they will be held to a point by an Antalyaspor side that have drawn three of their last five away games.