Adebayor can help Istanbul Basaksehir stay top in Turkey

Turkish Super Lig
1.30pm Sunday

Big-spending Istanbul Basaksehir are battling to win the Turkish league for the first time and they can guarantee that they will stay top for at least another four weeks by winning away to mid-table Kasimpasa in their last match before the winter break.

The long-term ambition of Basaksehir is to become a force in domestic and European football but they still have a long way to go before challenging the continent's heavyweights.

They lost 4-3 on aggregate to Sevilla in the Champions League playoff round and their Europa League adventure is over after the group stage following a mixed campaign featuring two wins, two draws and two defeats.

However, the extra games (they have played ten European matches this season) haven't stopped them from competing at a high level in the Turkish league.

Basaksehir have been in one of the top two positions since mid-October and have excelled against their principal title rivals, winning 3-2 away to Fenerbahce, drawing 1-1 away to Besiktas and winning 5-1 at home to Galatasaray.

However, it is still tight at the top because Basaksehir have not always been reliable on their travels.

All of their three league defeats have come on the road, including a 1-0 loss at mid-table Sivasspor in their last away game.

They need to be more consistent away from home and the match against Kasimpasa looks an excellent opportunity for them to gain three points.

Kasimpasa went into this weekend's round of fixtures only five points clear of the drop zone.

They have lost four of their last five games, conceding 14 goals in the process, and look ill-equipped to cope with Basaksehir's attack, spearheaded by eight-goal veteran Emmanuel Adebayor, who returns from a suspension.

Recommendation
Istanbul Basaksehir
1pt 10-11 Betfred, Betway

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