Galatasaray V Sivasspor
Friday 18 October 2019 – 18:30 Kick-Off
Turkish Super Lig
Pick: Sivasspor +1.5 Asian Handicap
Odds: 5/8
Bookmaker: Bet365
 |
1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49/100 | 15/4 | 107/20 |
* (All betting odds displayed were correct as of 15 October 2019 at 19:50)
Preview: Some Turkish Super Lig action, as champions Galatasaray are seeking to turnaround an underwhelming start to the season when they host second-placed Sivasspor at their Turk Telecom Stadium. The visitors have fallen to a defeat on each of their last seven visits but do arrive in the better form of the two sides – will that count for anything in Istanbul?
Turkish Football Betting – 22Bet
Galatasaray Preview – Can title holders finally find their groove?
The reigning Turkish champions have made an indifferent start to 2019/20, both domestically and on the continent. The club will welcome Real Madrid to their Turk Telecom Stadium on Tuesday for an important Champions League fixture, but not before a return to domestic matters in the Super Lig as manager Fatih Terim immediately sets about improving the team’s modest points total.
With the season now seven games old, Galatasaray are languishing in ninth (W2 D4 L1, GF6 GA6). Sure they have only been beaten on the one occasion – a 2-0 reverse away to Denizlispor in their very first fixture, when reduced to ten men – but a return of only two wins and ten points is dismal by their own standards. Meanwhile, no side has found the back of the net with less frequency (6), scoring one goal or fewer in all but one of their league matches.
For a team not exactly short of recognisable attackers – think Ryan Babel, Younes Belhanda, Florin Andone and Radamel Falcao – this is as much of a surprise as it will be alarming for Terim. Their goalless draw in Genclerbirligi last time out was their second such scoreline in as many games and the third draw consecutively, with the one crumb of comfort being an encouraging head-to-head having won the previous seven home meetings with Sivasspor.
Sivasspor Preview – Will visitors maintain fine start to season?
The club would finish a mere four points above the relegation zone last season, down in 12th and with 28 fewer points accrued than Galatasaray. Therefore expectations have been well and truly surpassed with the start made to the current league campaign. Sivasspor (W3 D3 L1, GF12 GA7) occupy second position in the table coming into this game and would climb into top spot with a first victory away at the Turk Telecom Stadium since 2012 (L7 since).
Any likelihood of a rare triumph in this fixture would appear slim, however, and not solely based on that previously mentioned dire head-to-head record. At home it is three wins from four, which included some notable successes versus Besiktas (3-0) and Tranzonspor (2-1), but away from home this team is still to record its first win of the season (D2 L1), drawing their last two such matches 1-1 with Istanbul Basaksehir and Alyanspor.
Scoring certainly hasn’t been an issue for them, though, locating the goal with twice as much regularity as their opponents and, perhaps more impressively, managing to score in all seven league fixtures thus far. That is no mean feat, particularly with them netting away to Basaksehir, who could boast by far and away the best defensive record in the league last term, and Alanyaspor, who are the current league leaders.
Galatasaray V Sivasspor Key Facts:
- Galatasaray, who are 9th in the Turkish Super Lig standings (W2 D4 L1), have drawn their last three league fixtures.
- Sivasspor are currently second in the league table (W3 D3 L1) but have not won away from home all season (D2 L1).
- Not since 2012 have Sivasspor recorded a victory away to Galatasaray, losing on their previous seven visits.
Betting Summary
For a team that has only won twice in the league this season, Galatasaray are very short (1/2 with SportingBet). No doubt a dominant head-to-head record has been factored into that price, with the current Turkish champions winning on each of the previous seven occasions they have hosted Sivasspor (11/2 with BetVictor). However, the latter arrive in better form both in terms of the number of points registered (12 vs 10) as well as goals scored (12 vs 6).
Galatasaray have, surprisingly, struggled for goals in the early part of the season as a host of summer arrivals continue acclimatising to their new surroundings. Meanwhile, Sivasspor have scored in all their matches and so do carry a goalscoring threat of their own. Creditable draws away to Istanbul Basaksehir and Alanyaspor also further the visitors’ appeal.
