Konyaspor vs Rizespor

The 2026-27 Süper Lig kicks off with Konyaspor hosting Rizespor, an early chance for both sides to set the tone. Konyaspor's rocky second half of last season ended with a Turkish Cup final loss to Trabzonspor, while Rizespor settled for a quiet 12th-place finish. Konyaspor added Da Mata, Chidozie Awaziem and Ebrima Colley over the summer under coach İlhan Palut, with Enis Bardhi and Blaz Kramer remaining central to their attack. Rizespor lean on Ali Sowe, last season's leading scorer, and creative midfielder Qazim Laçi. The rivalry is finely balanced: 39 meetings have brought 12 Konyaspor wins, 11 for Rizespor, and 16 draws, with December's reverse fixture ending 1-1. With both sides still shaking off pre-season rust in week one, a cagey, low-scoring opener feels more likely than fireworks. Our prediction: 1-1