Galatasaray Vs Istanbul Basaksehir
Friday 22 November 2019 – 17:30 Kick-Off
Turkish Super Lig
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 4/5
Bookmaker: WilliamHill
Turkish Football Betting – 22Bet
(All betting odds displayed were correct as of 20 November 2019 at 23:40)
Preview: Top-flight football finally returns this weekend, with the first dose of Turkish Super Lig action having the potential to produce fireworks on and off the pitch as the the top-two from last season meet. Champions Galatasaray won this same fixture 2-1 in 2018/19, but may have their work cut out on this occasion, facing an Istanbul Basaksehir team on a lengthy unbeaten streak.
Galatasaray Preview – Champions gradually building momentum?
With their efforts in European competition unravelling, it may not be long before Galatasaray (5th – W5 D4 L2, GF13 GA9) are forced to focus solely on their domestic commitments. That might not be a bad thing either. As while the team are still well within striking distance of the leading protagonists in this season’s Super Lig (two points off leaders Sivasspor), their current position of fifth falls well below the demands of a club seeking a third consecutive league title.
Prior to the international break there were at least more encouraging signs, domestically speaking. In Europe it is one point from three group games, however, in the league it is nine points from the last twelve (W3 L1), the only blip in that period a slender defeat to Besiktas (1-0). Their previous two league encounters, meanwhile, would both produce 2-0 victories, though both were recorded over teams near the foot of the table in the shape of Rizespor and Gaziantep.
Back home, Gala remain unbeaten after five such fixtures (W3 D2), which is reasonably strong. More pertinent perhaps has been the recent upturn in front of goal. Having scored more than one goal in a league match only once in their opening seven encounters, they have since achieved that feat in three of the last four, including each of last two on home soil – one of which was a thrilling 3-2 success against the league leaders.
Basaksehir Preview – Impressive unbeaten streak under threat?
Runners-up in the previous season, when Galatasaray finished two points better off, these Basaksehir (4th – W5 D4 L2, GF18 GA13) players may well feel they have a score to settle in what is their first meeting with the reigning champions of the term. They will, though, need to defy recent history if that is to transpire, not winning away to this opposition in the previous two attempts. Last season’s corresponding fixture would see them go ahead early but still lose 2-1.
Their recent league form will provide them with a greater source of comfort, however. Since a poor start to the campaign when losing their opening two league encounters, Basaksehir have established an impressive nine game unbeaten run (W5 D4). The problem being that away from home this team have only won twice. Neither were against one of the league’s big hitters either, beating the newly-promoted duo of Genclerbirligi and Gaziantep 2-1.
Intriguingly, goals have featured prominently in much of their early season exploits. Just two of nine league fixtures thus far failed to produce goals for both them as well as the opposition, adding to the allure of a bet on both teams scoring here. Meanwhile, their opening four away fixtures contained at least three match goals, though that particular streak was halted by a goalless stalemate in Alanyaspor at the beginning of the month.
Galatasaray V Istanbul Basaksehir Key Facts:
- Galatasaray have scored at least two goals in three of their last four league matches (all in victories), this after scoring no more than one goal in six of their first seven.
- Basaksehir are without a loss in nine Super Lig fixtures (W5 D4), whilst also seeing nine out of eleven league games in 2019/20 produce both teams scoring.
- Six of the previous eight competitive meetings between these two sides finished with both teams among the goals.
Betting Summary
Toiling in the Champions League this season. At least on the domestic front things are looking up for Galatasaray (29/20 BetVictor). Three wins in their last four Super Lig games has lifted them up to fifth in the table, while nobody has so far bested them at their ground (W3 D2). Goals, however, are not guaranteed – nine of their eleven league fixtures thus far produced Under 2.5 Goals while only four finished with both teams scoring.
By contrast, Basaksehir (19/10 Bet365) have been enjoying themselves in Europe, although it helps facing teams from the Europa League. Nevertheless, this is a team currently unbeaten in 12 competitive games (W8 D5), nine of those in the league (W5 D4). Meanwhile, the vast majority of their contests have produced goals: 8/11 returned Over 2.5 Goals, with both teams scoring delivering on nine occasions.
Due to the recent improvements made by Galatasaray in front of goal (scoring two or more in three of their last four league fixtures) and the fact games involving Basaksehir this season have typically produced a healthy amount of goalmouth action, the natural selection is to back goals. Their two encounters in 2018/19 produced both teams scoring, as have six of the previous eight.
