Will Selçuk İnan defeat his boyhood club? Prediction for the Turkish Süper Lig match between Galatasaray and Kocaelispor
On Sunday, 13 September 2026, at 20:00 EEST (19:00 CET / 18:00 BST), RAMS Park in Istanbul will host the headline clash of matchday 5 in the Turkish Süper Lig 2026/27 season, as defending champions and league leaders Galatasaray welcome third-placed Kocaelispor.
Adding a compelling subplot to the occasion is the return of Lions legend and former captain Selçuk İnan, who now sits in the dugout for the Izmit outfit.
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Kocaelispor proved a stubborn obstacle for the Istanbul giants last season: Galatasaray failed to record a single victory over the Green and Blacks across the 2025/26 campaign (a 1–0 away defeat followed by a 1–1 draw in Istanbul). The April fixture at RAMS Park finished 1–1, with Bruno Petković cancelling out Leroy Sané's opener.
Galatasaray
The Lions have hit the ground running with 10 points from their first four league outings (three wins, one draw). Gabriel Sara is in sensational form having found the net in back-to-back matches, Lucas Torreira continues to dictate the tempo from deep, while Leroy Sané and Yunus Akgün provide relentless dynamic width. On home turf, Galatasaray have turned RAMS Park into an impenetrable fortress, extending their unbeaten Süper Lig run at the venue to 37 matches.
However, Okan Buruk's squad is severely depleted by injuries: talismanic striker Victor Osimhen, Wilfried Singo, Mario Lemina, and goalkeeper Günay Güvenç are all sidelined, thrusting Barış Alper Yılmaz into the central attacking role.
Kocaelispor
The Green and Blacks have enjoyed a sparkling start to the season, amassing nine points from four matches to claim a thoroughly deserved third place in the table. Selçuk İnan has instilled a sharp, aggressive counter-attacking philosophy built on quick vertical transitions.
The visitors boast notable pedigree in veteran Croatian forward Bruno Petković, Malian defender Massadio Haïdara, and Surinamese full-back Anfernee Dijksteel. Kocaelispor possess the defensive grit to absorb sustained pressure and show no signs of stage fright on the road against the league's heavyweights.
Predicted Line-ups
- Galatasaray: Çakır – Sallai, Sánchez, Bardakcı, Jakobs – Torreira, Sara, Batrakov – Sané, Akgün, Alper Yılmaz
- Kocaelispor: Öztaşdelen – Dijksteel, Zoukrou, Maglica, Haïdara – Show, Kaan Yıldız, Kutlu – Agyei, Sousa, Ayé.
Prediction
Kocaelispor arrive in superb form having scored in both meetings against the champions last season. With Singo and Lemina missing from the hosts' defensive midfield spine, the visitors will have ample opportunity to exploit transitional moments. My prediction: Both Teams to Score – Yes.
