Turkey VS Ukraine Match Prediction
2018-11-20
17:30:00
Turkey
VS
Ukraine
Our Prediction Tip
Ukraine will win this match.
2018-11-2017:30:00 Ukraine will win this match.
Turkey have won four of their eight matches against Ukraine, but failed to win either of their two matches during World Cup 2018 qualifying. Ukraine led 2-0 in Turkey in the first game, thanks to an Andriy Yarmolenko penalty and Artem Kravets’ strike but Ozan Tufan pulled one back and Hakan Calhanoglu earned a point from the spot. Yarmolenko scored both goals in the reverse fixture, however, as Ukraine this time held onto their 2-0 lead to win.
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With UEFA Nations League promotion already in the bag, Ukraine lost heavily last time out but this is a chance to put the defeat to Slovakia behind them straight away.
Turkey have failed to score in their last three games, despite boasting Cenk Tosun up front and a host of exciting young talents including Cengiz Under.
Ukraine have their own bright young talents, of course, including the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Viktor Kovalenko in midfield but they will miss one of their more experienced players in Andriy Yarmolenko.
Yarmolenko’s injury, which will keep him out until at least April, has cost Ukraine one of their best players but they have players chomping at the bit to replace him.
It is further back where the key battles will be fought, meanwhile – the Turks having not scored in their last three games.
Turkey have also just one win to their name in the last seven matches.
With such poor form, and considering Ukraine’s own recent results, it is very much them who are favourites. Turkey need goals and need results, but where they are to come from is still very unclear.
Turkey are a best price of 5/4 with Betway and 888sport to beat Ukraine, but that is harsh on a Ukraine team who have been in good shape in 2018. b
You can still fetch a good price of 7/5 with Betfair and Paddy Power on Ukraine to win and draw no bet.
The key will be keeping Turkey’s out-of-form forwards out and you can bet against both teams to score at 5/6 with Bet365.
At the other end, Ruslan Malinovskiy scored in the win against the Czech Republic and draw with Italy. He is 15/4 to score at any time with Betway.
Turkey’s poor run of form makes it difficult to back them, even if Ukraine did lose last time out to end their own recent good results.
Alanyaspor defender Merih Demiral could make his debut in defence for Turkey as the only uncapped outfield player in the squad. He is one of several young players looking to make their mark as the senior team builds for the future now.
Cenk Tosun – Averages a goal every three games at international level, which means the Everton striker is due one.
Cengiz Under – The Roma winger is one of the brightest assets in this young squad and has already scored four times in 15 appearances.
Hakan Calhanoglou – Scored an equaliser from the penalty spot against Ukraine during World Cup qualifying – one of nine international goals in 37 appearances.
Turkey have only won one of their last seven matches – a dramatic 3-2 win against Sweden in September, having been 2-0 down. They have failed to score in any of their three games since, however - a goalless friendly draw with Bosnia, a 2-0 away defeat to Russia and Saturday’s 1-0 loss at home to Sweden.
Ivan Petryak’s withdrawal means he joins Bohdan Butko and Vasyl Kravets in missing out from the original squad named. Andriy Yarmolenko missed out altogether, having suffered a bad injury playing for West Ham – he will not return until at least April after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Yevhen Konoplyanka – The Schalke 04 man scored his 19th international goal in his 76th appearance in the defeat to Slovakia.
Ruslan Malinovskyi – Only has two international goals but both arrived in recent months with the Genk man scoring against the Czech Republic and Italy.
Oleksandr Zinchenko – The Manchester City man scored the dramatic late winner against Czech Republic to set their current ball rolling in the UEFA Nations League.
Ukraine’s 4-1 defeat to Slovakia last time out, in which Yevgeni Konoplyanka scored their goal, was their first defeat in 2018. They had already secured promotion from their UEFA Nations League after 1-0 home wins against Slovakia and Czech Republic – Andriy Yarmolenko’s penalty and Ruslan Malinovskiy’s goals proving the winners in the respective matches. In between they drew 1-1 with Italy – Malinovskiy scoring the equaliser – while they had also previously come from behind to beat Czech Republic with goals in stoppage time in each half, including Oleksandr Zinchenko’s dramatic winner.
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