Turkey – Croatia : Preview & Prediction
After beating Armenia with a 2-1 victory in their first knockout match, Stefan Kuntz’s Turkey, the current group leaders, will be looking to spread a little more joy to their country after last month’s devastating earthquakes. They next have the daunting task of hosting World Cup semi-finalists Croatia, but a run of three consecutive 2-1 wins should serve to boost Turkish hopes as they look to show their teeth in a famous stadium designed like a giant crocodile, the Timsah Arena.
Being “underdogs” for this clash, Turkey have certainly shown solidity at home in recent years, having not suffered a single official home defeat since losing in the UEFA Nations League to Hungary in 2020 (G5, E5). Recent history between these two nations suggests they could continue that streak, as Turkey is unbeaten in each of the last three meetings between the two, including two played on Turkish soil (G1, E1).
Croatia faces Turkey after failing to justify its favorite’s tag prior to Saturday’s match against a Wales team in transition, conceding a painful 93rd-minute goal to finish with a 1-1 draw. That opening day draw makes this clash all the more important, as beating Turkey is the only realistic way Croatia can finish this break in the top two of the group as they seek their sixth consecutive appearance at a European Championship.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić is hoping for an immediate resurgence as he looks to extend an incredible eight-game unbeaten run of away internationals (G7, E1) since losing to England at Wembley at the last European Championship. Incredibly, six of the eight matches in that streak saw Croatia go scoreless, while three of the last four ended 1-0, so this could be another fairly close engagement.
Players to watch: Feyenoord star Orkun Kökçü successfully transferred his prolific club form (twelve goals) to the international stage by scoring Turkey’s first goal in the previous matchday. Similarly, Croatia’s Andrej Kramarić is red hot, having scored three goals in his last two games for club and country despite not playing the full 90 minutes on either occasion.
Key stat: Turkey has scored before halftime in nine of its last ten international matches.
Turkey – Croatia : Betting Tips
BTS/YES Odds: 2.25
