Istanbul Basaksehir vs. Craiova: Who Will Conquer Europe?
Get ready for a thrilling Europa Conference League qualifying clash! Istanbul Basaksehir will be hosting Universitatea Craiova at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu. Kick-off is scheduled for 14:45 on Thursday, 21 August 2025. Football fans, this is one you don't want to miss!
Basaksehir's Home Advantage
Istanbul Basaksehir, a force in the Turkish Super Lig, will be leveraging their home advantage. In their last match, they drew 1-1 against Kayserispor. Although they dominated possession with 57%, they'll need to convert that dominance into goals against Craiova.
Craiova's Away Form
Universitatea Craiova, hailing from the Romanian SuperLiga, secured a 2-1 victory against Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc in their previous game. Steven Nsimba's two goals proved crucial. They'll be aiming to carry that momentum into this European tie.
Recent European Performances
- Basaksehir drew 1-1 at home to Viking (winning 4-2 on aggregate).
- U Craiova lost 4-3 away to Spartak Trnava in extra time (winning 6-4 on aggregate).
Prediction: A Tight Encounter
Expect a closely contested match. Craiova has the potential to challenge Basaksehir. Considering the Asian Handicap odds of 1.72 for Craiova with a +1 goal advantage, betting on the visitors to either win or draw could be a smart move. A one-goal defeat would result in a refund.
Basaksehir's recent form shows 5 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw in their last 10 League & Europa Conference League qualifying games. They average 1.7 goals from 4.4 shots on goal and 9.2 attempts, with 53.4% possession and 4.7 corners per match. This indicates a team that can create opportunities but needs to be more clinical.
Will Basaksehir's home support be enough, or can Craiova pull off an upset? Tune in to find out!