Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Match Preview
Friday night football in the Süper Lig sees an intriguing clash at the Yıldız Entegre Kocaeli Stadium on Friday, 19 December 2025 (Expected Date). Kocaelispor, sitting 9th with 20 points, are enjoying a solid season and are unbeaten in their last five league games. They host an Antalyaspor side (15th, 15 points) that is perilously close to the relegation zone. After a heavy 1–4 defeat to Galatasaray, Antalyaspor are desperate for points to distance themselves from the bottom four, while Kocaelispor look to crack the upper half of the table.
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Match Info
- Competition: Süper Lig (Matchday 17)
- Venue: Yıldız Entegre Kocaeli Stadium, Izmit (Capacity: 34,712)
- Date: Friday, 19 December 2025
- Kickoff: 16:00 GMT | 19:00 TRT
- Referee: TBC (TFF Appointment)
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Match Stakes
Kocaelispor (9th — 20 pts):
- Win → Moves to 23 pts; solidifies a top-half position and pushes toward European spots
- Draw → Extends unbeaten run to 6 games; keeps them mid-table
- Loss → Missed opportunity at home; gap to the bottom half shrinks
Antalyaspor (15th — 15 pts):
- Win → Moves to 18 pts; vital breathing room from the relegation zone
- Draw → Stops the bleeding after a heavy loss; a valuable away point
- Loss → Risk dropping into the bottom 4 depending on other results
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Team News
Kocaelispor:
- Kayaarasi K. — Out (Suspended)
- Julian — Out (Lacking match fitness)
- Markao — Available (Key striker)
Antalyaspor:
- Show — Out (International Duty – Angola)
- Wieteska M. — Out (Knee Injury)
- Yesilyurt E. — Out (Knee Injury)
- Dzhikiya G. — Questionable (Injury)
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Kocaelispor
- 14/12 — 1–1 vs Karagumruk (League)
- 07/12 — 0–0 vs Kasimpasa (League)
- 03/12 — 2–1 vs Karacabey Bld. (Cup)
- 28/11 — 1–0 vs Genclerbirligi (League)
- 23/11 — 0–0 vs Goztepe (League)
Antalyaspor
- 13/12 — 1–4 vs Galatasaray (League)
- 08/12 — 0–0 vs Alanyaspor (League)
- 04/12 — 1–0 vs Silifke (Cup)
- 30/11 — 1–2 vs Goztepe (League)
- 24/11 — 0–0 vs Konyaspor (League)
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Head-to-Head (Last Meetings)
- 07/01/2025 — Antalyaspor 3–1 Kocaelispor (Cup)
- 15/07/2021 — Antalyaspor 0–1 Kocaelispor (Friendly)
- 26/04/2009 — Kocaelispor 1–0 Antalyaspor (Süper Lig)
- 22/11/2008 — Antalyaspor 0–0 Kocaelispor (Süper Lig)
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Kocaelispor (4-2-3-1)
Degirmenci; Oguz, Appindangoye, Osmanpasa, Cinan; Pedrinho, Celik; Mendes, Cihat, Caglayan; Markao
Antalyaspor (4-1-4-1)
Piric; Yilmaz, Sari, Thalisson, Vural; Petrusenko; Larsson, Kaluzinski, Van de Streek, Djenepo; Samudio
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Impact Bench
Kocaelispor: Alici (Pace on wing), Candeias (Experience)
Antalyaspor: Gaich (Physical threat), Safuri (Creative spark)
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Tactical Analysis
Kocaelispor
The hosts have built their success on a solid defense, conceding only 16 goals in 16 games. They are not high scorers (13 goals), so they rely on keeping games tight and striking through Ryan Mendes’ pace or Markao’s physical presence. Against a leaky Antalyaspor defense, they will look to exploit spaces in transition.
Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor are struggling at both ends, with a -14 goal difference. The loss of Wieteska and Yesilyurt hurts their defensive stability. They will try to control midfield with Kaluzinski and Larsson, but their lack of cutting edge upfront (15 goals scored) is a major concern away from home.
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Key Battles
- Markao vs Sari — physical battle in the box
- Mendes vs Vural — speed vs attacking full-back
- Pedrinho vs Kaluzinski — midfield control
- Degirmenci vs Samudio — goalkeeper key to clean sheet
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Spotlight Players
Kocaelispor — Ryan Mendes
The winger provides the spark in an otherwise pragmatic Kocaelispor attack. His ability to beat his man will be crucial to unlocking a desperate Antalyaspor defense.
Antalyaspor — Jakub Kaluzinski
With the team struggling, the Polish midfielder needs to step up and dictate the tempo. If he can control the game, Antalyaspor have a chance.
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Prediction
Kocaelispor 1–0 Antalyaspor
Kocaelispor are hard to beat at the moment, while Antalyaspor are low on confidence and leaking goals. A tight, low-scoring home win seems the most logical outcome given the stats.
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Betting Insights
- Kocaelispor to Win — Value Bet
- Under 2.5 Goals — Likely (Kocaelispor involve in many low-scoring games)
- Both Teams to Score — NO
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — Where to Watch
- Turkey: beIN SPORTS
- International: beIN Connect (Select Regions)
Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor — FAQs
Q: When is the Kocaelispor vs Antalyaspor match?
A: The match kicks off on Friday, 19 December 2025 (Expected).
Q: Where is the match being played?
A: It will be played at the Yıldız Entegre Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit.
Q: Who won the last meeting?
A: Antalyaspor won 3–1 in the Turkish Cup in January 2025.
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