Gibraltar vs Turkey prediction, preview, team news and more | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Gibraltar and Turkey will battle it out for three points in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
The home side come into the game on the back of a 3-1 defeat away to Latvia on Wednesday. A second-half brace from Vladislavs Gutkovskis helped the Latvians pick up all three points.
Turkey were held to a 2-2 draw by Montenegro on home soil. A stunning free-kick by Risto Radunovic in the seventh minute of injury time saw both sides share the spoils in Istanbul. Earlier, Cengiz Under and Yusuf Yazici had given the Turks a first-half 2-0 lead. Adam Marusic had pulled one goal back for Montenegro in the second half.
Despite the draw, the Crescent-stars remain at the top of the table in Group G, having picked up eight points from four matches. Gibraltar occupy the opposite end of the standings and are the only side yet to pick up a point in the group.
Group G is one of the tightest in the qualifiers so far, with just four points separating first from fifth. In light of this, both sides are still in with a shout of qualifying and will give their all to secure qualification.
Gibraltar vs Turkey Head-to-Head
This will be the first international meeting between the two sides and a victory could be beneficial to their respective chances of qualifying for the mundial.
The hosts are probably the smallest minnows on the continent and are winless in their last nine games. Turkey's disastrous Euro 2020 campaign means they have now gone four games without a win.
Gibraltar form guide: L-D-L-L-L
Turkey form guide: D-L-L-L-W
Gibraltar vs Turkey Team News
Gibraltar
Gibraltar called up 23 players for the qualifiers against Latvia, Turkey and Norway. The squad is composed entirely of players plying their trade domestically in the Gibraltar National League except for attacker Tjay De Barr who plays for English League One side Wycombe Wanderers.
Injuries: None
Suspension: None
Turkey
Coach Senol Gunes called up 26 players for the qualifiers against Montenegro, Gibraltar and the Netherlands. The list is headlined by captain Burak Yilmaz, as well as seasoned international campaigners like Caglar Soyuncu, Hakan Calhanoglu and Cengiz Under.
A notable absentee on Wednesday was Soyuncu, with the Leicester City defender not participating due to Turkey being on the United Kingdom's 'red list' for COVID-19 protocols.
He will, however, be eligible to make the trip to Gibraltar, as the country is among those on the UK's 'green list.'
Injuries: None
Suspension: None
Gibraltar vs Turkey Predicted XI
Gibraltar Predicted XI (5-4-1): Dayle Coleing (GK); Ethan Brito, Jamie Bosio, Scott Wiseman, Roy Chipolina, John Sergeant; Julian Valarino, Louie John Annesley, Graeme Torilla, Kian Ronan; Tjay De Barr
Turkey Predicted XI (4-3-3): Altay Bayindir (GK); Mert Muldur, Caglar Soyuncu, Merih Demiral, Zeki Celik; Hakan Çalhanoglu, Yusuf Yazici, Orkun Kokcu; Cengiz Under, Burak Yilmaz, Enes Unal
Gibraltar vs Turkey Prediction
Gibraltar are one of the bonafide whopping boys on the European stage and the small nation simply cannot match the quality that Turkey have to offer.
The visitors are eager to get back to winning ways after a testing few months and Saturday's clash offers an excellent opportunity. We are predicting a comfortable victory for Turkey.
Prediction: Gibraltar 0-4 Turkey