Basaksehir vs U Craiova Prediction and Betting Tips

Istanbul Basaksehir and U Craiova will trade tackles in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League playoff tie on Thursday (August 21st). The game will be played at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.

The hosts are coming into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw against Kayserispor at the same venue in the Turkish Super Lig over the weekend. They went into the break in the lead thanks to Ivan Brnic's 41st-minute strike while Miguel Cardoso equalized in the 69th minute.

Craiova, meanwhile, claimed maximum points with a 2-1 away win over Csikszereda M. Ciuc in the Romanian Superliga. Silviu Lung's own goal put the hosts ahead but Steven Nsimba equalized eight minutes later. The 27-year-old completed his brace in the second half to secure the comeback.

The White-Blues will turn their focus to the continent and booked their spot at this stage with a 6-4 aggregate victory over Spartak Trnava after extra time. Basaksehir qualified with a 4-2 aggregate win over Viking.

The winner of this tie will book their spot in the main stage of the UEFA Conference League while the losers will be eliminated from the continent.

Basaksehir vs U Craiova Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

This will be the first meeting between the two sides.
Nine of Craiova's 10 competitive games this season have produced three goals or more.
Basaksehir have made a five-game unbeaten start to the season across competitions (three wins).
Craiova have won six of their last seven games (one loss).
Basaksehir's last five home games in the Conference League have seen both sides find the back of the net.
Craiova have never advanced beyond this stage of the Conference League qualifiers.

Basaksehir vs U Craiova Prediction

Basaksehir have had a relatively straightforward run to get to this stage of the Conference League qualifiers. They will be keen to keep this run going in a game where they are the favorites.

U Craiova had to survive a see-saw tie with Trnava to get here. They claimed a 3-0 home win in the first leg and were leading in the second leg before eventually falling to a 4-1 defeat. Two extra-time goals saw them get here.

We expect the home side to claim a narrow win with goals at both ends.

Prediction: Basaksehir 2-1 U Craiova

Basaksehir vs U Craiova Betting Tips

Tip 1 - Basaksehir to win

Tip 2 - Both teams to score

Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals

About the author

Elvis is a seasoned football journalist and has been with Sportskeeda for more than 6 years. He specializes in writing match previews across several leagues and competitions around the world, and his insightful tips have amassed a total readership in excess of 9.2 million till date. Elvis' meticulous attention to detail and strictly following SK's editorial guidelines have been key to achieving a vast readership. He has also exclusively covered the 2021 Nigerian Universiy Games and has provided research for an upcoming biography for a Nigerian football legend.

Elvis has been a Super Eagles fan since 2004, and them beating defending champions Cameroon in the AFCON that year left a lasting impact on him. He supports Sporting Lagos at club level and loves to watch games live at the Onikan Stadium due to its buzzing atmosphere. His favorite football players are former Nigerian forward, Osaze Odemwingie and former Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez.

If Elvis could change one football rule, it would be to not be booked for celebrating with pitch side fans. He believes that football is a passionate game and celebrations should be encouraged to the fullest. When not analyzing the latest previews, Elvis indulges in activities such as swimming, reading, and karaoke.

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