Ankaragucu vs Istanbul Basaksehir prediction 25.05.2023

• Competition: Turkish Cup, Semi-Finals, 2nd leg
• Date: Thursday, 25th May 2023
• Kickoff: 18:30 UK / 19:30 CEST
• Venue: Eryaman Stadium (Ankara)

After a 1:0 win for Istanbul Basaksehir in the first leg in Istanbul, we are headed 350km Southeast to Ankara for the second leg.

Ankaragucu won the promotion by winning the 1. Lig in the last season, and in this one, they are in 13th place with 38 points from 33 matches. Currently, they are just four points away from the relegation zone with three rounds before the end, and their primary goal is only to secure survival this season.

Ankaragucu were on a four-game winless streak before the last match. In the previous round, they finally won a game, but against the worst team in the league, Umraniyespor. 

Istanbul Basaksehir were among the best teams in Turkey in the previous eight seasons. During that period, they had only one bad season (2019/20) and failed to secure Europe just that time. This season, they are in 5th place with 53 points from 33 matches - four points away from 4th-placed Adana Demirspor and 19 away from the 3rd-placed Besiktas. So, the only way they can secure Europe is by winning the Cup, and that will be their primary goal.

Ankaragucu vs Istanbul Basaksehir pick: Under 2.5 goals

Ankaragucu were only once over 2.5 goals in the last five matches. During that five-game period, they failed to score in three games. 

Istanbul Basaksehir have the fewest games in Super Lig with three or more goals - only 12 from 33 total. One game was awarded (3:0) at the green table, so in reality, they have only 11 of those games. The primary reason for that is their defensive record. They allowed only 34 goals, and only Galatasaray and Besiktas allowed fewer. 

Istanbul Basaksehir were four times under 2.5 goals before this match. During that period, they scored just two goals.

These teams played two h2h games this season, and Basaksehir won both times by 1:0.