Turkey vs Armenia prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-09-07 18:45.
This is the standout Group D fixture of this European Championship qualifying (ECQ) window with leaders Turkey looking to extend their three-point buffer from second-placed Armenia. The home side entered the game in solid form, collecting five wins from their last six matches (L1) to help manager Stefan Kuntz extend his win record in the job to 66.7%. It’s the best win rate for any Turkey national team manager who has overseen at least 18 matches, vindicating the FA’s decision to sack his predecessor Şenol Güneş in September 2021.
Victories in each of their last three meetings with the visitors should inspire confidence that they can extend that run further here. Turkey netted exactly two goals in all three of those wins, which is an intriguing streak quirk enhanced by the fact that the winning side also netted two goals in each of the Crescent-Stars’ last five matches on home soil that produced a winner (W4, L1).
Armenia head into the contest arguably under greater pressure than their hosts, because not only are they three points off of top, but they’re also sandwiched between sides who are already assured of a spot in the playoffs at worst with third-placed Croatia, like Turkey, securing a spot via their performance in the Nations League. Wins in each of their last two ECQ outings against Wales and Latvia should have handed Armenia confidence that qualification for their first ever major European finals remains a distinct possibility.
Their 4-2 win in Cardiff last time on the road was a sweet relief for manager Oleksandr Petrakov, who 12 months earlier oversaw Ukraine’s devastating World Cup qualification play-off final loss to Wales at the very same venue. The question to be answered here is whether Armenia can also move forward collectively, having failed to win any of their previous 12 road trips prior to that success (D4, L8).
Players to watch: Turkey’s İrfan Kahveci is coming into this international round in red hot form with four goal contributions (G3, A1) across his last five Fenerbahçe matches. Trying to upstage him will be Lucas Zelarayán who scored twice in Armenia’s away win against Wales, and in his last appearance for Al Fateh.
Hot stat: Each of Turkey’s last two matches saw one side end with ten men, as did two of Armenia’s last three fixtures.