Comeback kings Turkey set to continue USA losing streak

USA v Turkey, kick-off 7.00pm Saturday

This match is both the USA’s first since Bob Bradley named his final squad for the 2010 World Cup and their last before lining up to face England on June 12th.

So we’re likely to see a strong line-up that gives Fabio Capello an idea of the team his side will face.

And while it’s clear Bradley will want his side to play well, a positive result should be a must. The USA are on a seriously bad run of results – six defeats in seven – and will want to, as they say, put one in the win column before getting to South Africa on May 31st.

Expect the likes of Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore and Landon Donovan, all absent from the 4-2 defeat by the Czech Republic, to return, and a much more cohesive display to follow.

The same night USA were stumbling to that loss, Turkey beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Connecticut, although they faced a massively inexperienced side.

Turkey have won all three of their American tour matches, beating Honduras and USA’s conquerors the Czech Republic in previous games, and will want to leave the continent on a high by claiming a fine scalp.

With each team bringing such conflicting form into the match a USA win, at evens, looks unfavourable so a Turkey victory, at 11/5, could be on the cards.

USA took the lead against the Czech Republic only to lose and memorably conceded victory to Brazil in the final of the Confederations Cup from a winning position.

Turkey meanwhile overturned losing positions twice during World Cup qualification and were the undisputed comeback kings at Euro 2008, claiming similar wins over Switzerland and the Czech Republic again.

Such precedent might make it a good time to chance a Home/Away in the Half-time/Full-time market, it’s a sizeable 22/1 shot. To carry the theory through you could bet on Dempsey as first scorer in a 2-1 win for the away side at a money-spinning 100/1.

What do you think? See the full USA v Turkey betting market.