Fenerbahce dey ready to fight for top position for Turkish Super Lig table dis Friday evening as dem go host Caykur Rizespor for Chobani Stadium. Di Yellow Canaries never reach number one dis season, but dem dey close, and Galatasaray recent poor form fit open door for late push for league title wey dem never win since 2014.
Domenico Tedesco men just collect three straight wins, including one 4-0 victory over Kayserispor last Saturday. N'Golo Kante break di deadlock just before half time, Talisca score two goals, and Dorgeles Nene add another for 62nd-minute strike wey make di win comfortable. Fenerbahce don win 19 of dia 29 Super Lig games dis season, lose just once, and draw nine times to gather 66 points and sit second, two points behind Galatasaray.
Dem dey believe say dem go get di result wey dem want dis weekend to overtake Galatasaray, especially as dem face Rizespor wey don lose all dia last 13 meetings since September 2018. But make we no forget say Caykur Rizespor dey improve small, as dem don win dia last two matches, including one 2-1 comeback victory over Gaziantep on Monday.
For dat match, Guinean striker Mohamed Bayo score first to give Gaziantep early lead, but Qazim Laci and Ali Sowe turn di game around with two quick goals late for second half. Rizespor no win six straight league matches from December 20 to February 14, but since den, dem don win five of dia next seven games, with two losses away to Trabzonspor and Fatih Karagumruk.
Road results no too sweet for Rizespor, as Recep Ucar men don lose three consecutive away matches and no win 10 of dia last 11 outings, with six losses and four draws since November start. Still, dem dey on track for another top-half finish, as dem dey eighth for Super Lig with 36 points from 29 games, three points behind seventh-placed Samsunspor and two above Konyaspor for 10th.
For injury news, Fenerbahce go miss Dutch defender Jayden Oosterwolde wey get one-game suspension after too many yellow cards. Spanish forward Marco Asensio miss last game with muscle problem, defender Milan Skriniar get groin issue, Turkish midfielder Ismail Yuksek go miss third straight game, and midfielder Edson Alvarez still dey sidelines with ankle injury from February.
Rizespor dey without Uzbekistan defender Khuskiddin Alikulov wey don miss last 13 games since injury against Goztepe for January. If no last-minute issues, Alikulov go be di only player wey no dey available, so coach Ucar get almost full squad to choose from for Chobani Stadium.
Possible starting lineup for Fenerbahce na Ederson; Semedo, Demir, Soyuncu, Brown; Kante, Nene; Guendouzi, Akturkoglu, Talisca; Cherif. For Rizespor, possible lineup na Fofana; Hojer, Sagnan, Akaydin, Papa; Augusto, Antalyali; Mihaila, Laci, Olawoyin; Sowe.
Fenerbahce dey fire well for important time as dem dey push for league title, and dem dey confident against Rizespor wey don manage just one away win since November. Tedesco men don win 13 straight matches against di visitors, and with difference in quality and experience between di two teams, many dey tip dem to collect all three points.
Dis match na part of Super League week 30, with Fenerbahce wey get 66 points from 19 wins, 9 draws, and 1 loss for second place, while Rizespor get 36 points from 9 wins, 9 draws, and 11 losses for eighth place. Fenerbahce don win last three league matches and want continue before derby next week.
For history, Fenerbahce and Caykur Rizespor don meet 47 times for Super League. Fenerbahce don win 32 times, Rizespor win 7 times. Fenerbahce score 110 goals total, Rizespor score 45. For first half of dis season, Fenerbahce come from 2-0 down to win 5-2 for Rize.
Di Yellow Canaries don win 13 consecutive official matches against di Black Sea team, 12 for league and 1 for Turkish Cup. For dose matches, Fenerbahce score 44 goals and concede 11. Rizespor last beat Fenerbahce 3-0 at home on September 30, 2018.
Apart from Oosterwolde suspension, Kerem Akturkoglu, Nelson Semedo, Anthony Musaba, Archie Brown, Mert Muldur, Matteo Guendouzi, and Dorgeles Nene all dey on yellow card limit for Fenerbahce. If any of dem get yellow card for tomorrow match, dem no go play for Galatasaray derby next week.
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