Çorum FK vs Eyüpspor: Ahmed Abdullahi faces key test — Preview, team news, tips & H2H

Former Flying Eagles striker Ahmed Abdullahi faces one of the biggest tests of his young career when Eyüpspor travel to Çorum Şehir Stadyumu for a Turkish Super Lig matchday four clash on Sunday, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 22-year-old Nigerian forward, who joined the Istanbul club from Sunderland on a permanent deal in August, has already scored once in three appearances as he looks to establish himself in the Turkish top flight.

Çorum FK, playing in the Super Lig for the first time in their history, are desperate for points after picking up just one from their opening three fixtures and sitting 16th in the table, but a deadline-day loan move for former Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko has injected fresh optimism.

Çorum FK vs Eyüpspor Match Preview

Çorum FK earned promotion through the 1. Lig playoffs last May, beating Esenler Erokspor 2-0 in the final to reach the top flight for the very first time.

The adjustment has been painful. Uğur Uçar’s side opened with a creditable 2-2 draw at Galatasaray on the opening weekend, where Victor Osimhen scored both of the champions’ goals, but Çorum FK fought back to take a point at Rams Park.

That encouraging start quickly unravelled. A 0-1 home defeat to Kasımpaşa in matchday two was a missed opportunity, with the newly promoted side unable to capitalise on the momentum earned in Istanbul.

Their third outing was far worse, conceding six at Beşiktaş in a 6-2 loss that laid bare how steep the jump from the second tier can be. One point from nine, four goals scored, and nine conceded.

Eyüpspor, by contrast, have been here before. The Istanbul club won the 1. Lig title in 2023-24 and are now in their third consecutive Super Lig campaign, having survived relegation last season.

Under new manager Özhan Pulat, appointed in late June after the departure of Atila Gerin, Eyüpspor have collected three points from their first three matches.

They lost 1-0 at Beşiktaş on the opening weekend, then suffered a frustrating 0-1 defeat at home to Gaziantep in matchday two.

Pulat’s first league win arrived on matchday three, a 2-1 home victory over Alanyaspor that offered some early relief.

The manager will not be on the touchline at Çorum, however, after picking up a suspension that rules him out of this fixture.

Head-to-head: Çorum FK vs Eyüpspor

These two sides are familiar opponents from their time in the second tier of Turkish Football.

They have met three times in the 1. Lig, with Çorum FK winning two of those encounters and Eyüpspor taking the other.

Çorum FK will take confidence from a head-to-head record that tilts in their favour, though it is worth noting that all three previous meetings took place in the 1. Lig – this will be their first encounter in the top division.

Team news: Çorum FK vs Eyüpspor

Çorum FK

Çorum FK have rebuilt significantly since promotion, releasing several key players from their 1. Lig campaign and bringing in a raft of new signings.

The headline arrival is Moukoko, though it remains to be seen whether the German forward will be fit to start just five days after completing his move.

Senegalese striker Mame Baba Thiam, who scored 10 goals in the 1. Lig last season, is a proven option up front.

In midfield, Mohamed Diomandé arrived from Rangers, Albanian defensive midfielder Ylber Ramadani adds steel, and Norwegian forward Markus Karlsbakk has been signed from Lillestrøm.

Eyüpspor

For Eyüpspor, Abdullahi, the former Flying Eagles forward, is expected to lead the attack.

Behind him, French-Algerian winger Bilal Boutobba, Portuguese midfielder David Costa and Polish winger Konrad Michalak form the attacking midfield trio.

French forward Lenny Pintor offers an alternative attacking option from the bench.

Star player comparison: Youssoufa Moukoko vs Ahmed Abdullahi

The managers: Uğur Uçar vs Özhan Pulat

Uğur Uçar is the man who led Çorum FK to their historic promotion, and has built a squad rooted in team spirit and organised defending, though the 6-2 collapse at Beşiktaş exposed the limits of a side still adapting to the speed and quality of the Super Lig.

The 2-2 draw at Galatasaray on the opening day proved his team can match the best on their day, but consistency has been elusive since.

The Moukoko signing and the earlier acquisition of Cengiz Ünder suggest the club’s board recognises the urgency of the situation and is willing to back Uçar with proven names.

Özhan Pulat took charge of Eyüpspor in June after the club parted ways with Atila Gerin at the end of last season.

Pulat has had just over two months to put his stamp on the squad, and the early results suggest a pragmatic approach.

He will be absent from the dugout at Çorum, however, after picking up a suspension that rules him out of this fixture, a complication Eyüpspor could do without as they look to build on their first league win.

Tactical preview: Çorum FK vs Eyüpspor

Both sides have set up in a 4-2-3-1 system this season, which should produce an intriguing tactical battle in the central areas.

For Çorum FK, Diomandé’s energy and ball-carrying ability from the number 10 position have been one of their few positives, and the former Rangers midfielder’s dynamism could prove pivotal against an Eyüpspor side that has looked compact but not dominant.

If Moukoko is introduced, his movement and finishing could offer a significant upgrade on Ramírez as the focal point, giving Çorum FK a more clinical outlet in the final third.

Nine goals conceded in three matches is a rate that will concern Uçar, particularly in defensive transitions where his centre-backs have been caught out, and the Smolčić-Penetra partnership is still bedding in.

Eyüpspor’s attack has been led by Abdullahi from the central striking role, with Boutobba and Michalak offering pace and trickery from the flanks.

With Pulat suspended, his assistant will need to manage tactical adjustments in real time, a disadvantage that could matter in a tight contest.

Çorum FK vs Eyüpspor: Betting tips and predictions

Çorum FK vs Eyüpspor: Score prediction