Kocaelispor v Göztepe: top-half tussle as hosts seek momentum and visitors eye top five | OneFootball

Kocaelispor face Göztepe in the Süper Lig on Saturday, 18 April 2026 in Kocaeli, with the hosts looking to build on two straight draws and the visitors aiming to consolidate sixth and press the top five.

Recent meetings lean Kocaelispor's way. They won both 1. Lig clashes in 2023/24 and the reverse fixture this season ended goalless.

Kocaelispor's uptick includes a 1-1 draw at Galatasaray and a 0-0 against Başakşehir after a heavy defeat at Alanyaspor. Göztepe have mixed form, winning at Gençlerbirliği and drawing 3-3 with Kasımpaşa either side of defeat to Galatasaray.

Selection-wise, Kocaelispor list Mateusz Wieteska, Aleksandar Jovanovic and Botond Balogh as injured, while Göztepe are without Ismail Köybasi.

Season profiles point to a tight game. Göztepe average 39% possession with 15 clean sheets, strong in the air with 627 aerial duels won and seven headed goals. Juan leads their threat with nine league goals. Kocaelispor have scored 24 in 29 with 10 clean sheets and could look to supply Bruno Petković, their seven-goal forward, via steady build-up and crossing (338 open-play deliveries at 20.41% accuracy).

A home win would take Kocaelispor to 38 points and could nudge them up the table. An away victory would move Göztepe to 50 points and could lift them into the top five.