Eyüpspor vs Rizespor Prediction: Tactical Standoff Looms in Matchweek 5

Eyüpspor welcome Rizespor on 12 September 2026 in what could generously be described as a collision between two sides yet to find their feet in this Süper Lig season. Eyüpspor sit 16th on three points, Rizespor are 11th on six. Özhan Pulat's 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 setup goes up against Recep Uçar's fluid 4-3-3 and with both sides dwelling in the lower half, the incentive to actually win something is real enough.

There is not much of a personal rivalry to speak of here, with Pulat having only taken charge on 1 July 2026 after replacing Atila Gerin, while Uçar has been in post since 3 December 2025 following his takeover from İlhan Palut. Without prior meetings between them, this one comes down to current form and squad quality.

Eyüpspor arrive having won just once from four games, sitting 16th on three points with a goal difference of minus four. Their sequence reads L-W-L-L: a 0-3 thrashing at Çorum FK on 6 September, a 2-1 home win over Alanyaspor on 30 August, a 0-1 loss to Gaziantep FK on 23 August and a 0-1 opening day reverse against Beşiktaş on 16 August. Rizespor are in better shape at 11th on six points, their form reading L-W-L-W: a 0-1 defeat at Alanyaspor on 7 September, a 2-1 win over Gaziantep FK on 29 August, a 0-2 loss at Samsunspor on 22 August and a 1-0 home win against Konyaspor on 15 August.

Neither side is missing anyone significant, so both managers get to pick who they actually want. Eyüpspor have forward Ahmed Abdullahi, defender Zak Jules and goalkeeper Horațiu Moldovan available, Rizespor can call on forwards Ali Sowe, Ahmed Kutucu and Emrecan Bulut alongside midfielder Qazim Laçi.

Eyüpspor have conceded six goals in four games and three of those games ended in defeat, which tells you all you need to know about where their problems lie. Abdullahi offers something on the break and Jules has already contributed from dead ball situations but the team has consistently come undone once opponents settle into possession. Rizespor's 4-3-3 has Sowe, Kutucu and Bulut as the forward line with Laçi sitting deepest of the three central midfielders. Results so far have been narrow in both directions, pointing to a side that remains vulnerable when their high defensive line gets turned. The two individual battles likely to matter most are Sowe dropping deep against Eyüpspor's centre backs and Abdullahi running in behind Rizespor's full backs, with Laçi's screening tested by Eyüpspor's midfield trio.

Rizespor have won four of the last six meetings between these sides. Eyüpspor's most recent result in this fixture was a 4-0 win in May 2026, though one result against a head to head record that leans so clearly the other way does not change much.

Jules's threat from dead ball situations is worth watching, especially against a Rizespor defence that has already shown it can be hurt from structured attacks and Rizespor carry their own set piece danger through Sowe and Kutucu at the near post. Both teams are close enough to the bottom that conceding first is a real problem for either side and both have already shipped multiple goals across four games each, which makes a clean sheet from either goalkeeper hard to believe.

We're going for 1-1, with Eyüpspor's home advantage and the memory of that 4-0 win in May pushing them towards a point while Rizespor's forward line makes a shutout at the other end equally unlikely. If goals do come, dead ball situations on both sides look the most probable source.