Gaziantep vs Istanbulspor Prediction 09.01.2025 | Turkish Cup

• Competition: Turkish Cup
• Date: Thursday, 9th, January 2025
• Kickoff: 15:00 UK / 16.00 CET
• Venue: Kalyon Stadyumu (Gaziantep)

Gaziantep and Istanbulspor will begin their campaigns in the Turkish Cup on Thursday afternoon when they face off at Kalyon Stadium on opening day.

In a high-energy Super Lig clash, Gaziantep fought back to erase Kasimpasa's two-goal advantage, securing a 2-2 stalemate with Dervisoglu’s 83rd-minute equalizer, which stretched their unbeaten streak to three games. Now, head coach Selcuk Inan's team is focusing on the Turkish Cup, aiming to start it off on the right foot after securing a spot in the group stage with a routine 2-0 victory over fourth-tier outfit 52 Orduspor in the final round of qualifying.

On their part, Istanbulspor heads into the showdown with a top-flight side in high spirits following an emphatic display at the weekend, where they crushed relegation-threatened Erokspor 4-0, narrowing the gap to Bandirmaspor in second place to six points. Interestingly, the Erokspor team fell victim to the Istanbul Bulls in a cup clash in mid-December, with their 2-1 win granting them the chance to participate in the new-format Turkish Cup, even though their main focus this season remains on returning to the ranks of elite Turkish teams.

Gaziantep vs Istanbulspor Betting Tips: UNDER 3.5

While it's known that cup matches often create more room for attacking play, we believe Gaziantep will adopt a more cautious approach in this match, likely settling for a minimal victory on the opening day. Selcuk Inan's side have impressed with their recent displays in front of their home crowd as they have claimed seven home wins on the spin in all tournaments, with their net remaining unbreached in the last five. There's no doubt Gaziantep will rely on their rock-solid defense once againt to grab a positive start in the Turkish Cup against Istanbulspor, a team that struggled for scoring last season in the Super Lig, eventually relegated as the league's lowest scorers. The last time the Istanbul Bulls visited Kalyon Stadium, they had a bad time, succumbing to a 0-2 loss, and we expect that the same scoreline could be repeated, as Gaziantep have been very powerful on their home turf of late and are ready to make their 8th home win on the bounce in what promises to be a dull contest.