Goztepe vs Galatasaray Predictions

Galatasaray have returned from the winter break in great form picking up two wins and two clean sheets, and on Saturday the title challengers hope to extend that run away at mid table Goztepe. The hosts are in classic mid table form with two wins, two draws, and two defeats from their last six matches and should prove a tough nut for Galatasaray to crack this weekend.

Goztepe came from behind twice away at Yeni Malatyaspor on Saturday, but still ended up losing this five-goal thriller. Şişmanoğlu set the tone of the match with a goal inside the opening sixty seconds to put the hosts 1-0 up, but Goztepe levelled the scores in the twentieth minute through Akbunar. Donald put Yeni Malatyaspor back in front shortly after the half hour mark, but the teams went in level at the break thanks to Biyogo Poko’s equaliser for Goztepe with just four minutes of the first half remaining. The second half proved to be much tighter for both sides and was decided by a fifty-fourth minute penalty for the hosts that Aleksić converted to hand Yeni Malatyaspor all three points.

A first half İnan penalty proved enough for Galatasaray to beat Boluspor in the 1st leg of their Turkish Cup tie in midweek, but their victory last weekend against Ankaragücü in the Super Lig was much more convincing. Two first half goals from Gümüş and one from on-loan Everton attacker Onyekuru saw Galatasaray lead 3-0 at the break, and the hosts didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second half either. Onyekuru scored two more goals in the space of four minutes to wrap up his first hat trick for the club and teammate N’Diaye added a sixth goal late on to wrap up an emphatic victory.

Galatasaray have a very good record against Goztepe, winning each of the last five encounters between the two clubs. Three of Galatasaray’s last four wins against this particular side have ended in the same 1-0 scoreline, so don’t be surprised if the hosts  just edge this game by the odd goal. Since returning from the winter break Galatasaray have kept two clean sheets from their two games, while Goztepe have conceded three goals in both of their two matches. The visitors head into the game as the form favourites with three wins, two draws, and one defeat from their last six matches, the last three results all being victories.

Öztekin is the home sides danger man with seven Super Lig goals so far this season, but Onyekuru is on nine league goals for Galatasaray who will be keen to keep hold of the Nigerian forward once his loan spell comes to an end. Swiss international Derdiyok has scored seven Super Lig goals for the visitors and is forging a very good partnership with Onyekuru.

We’re confident that Galatasaray will win on Saturday, and have backed a final scoreline of 1-0. The visitors have the momentum behind them as well as recent history, having won their last three games and beaten Goztepe in their last five encounters. Galatasaray are yet to concede a goal since returning from the winter break and we expect that new found defensive resolve to help them to a clean sheet and all three points on Saturday.