Having claimed an impressive 1-1 draw on Turkish soil in the first leg, St Johnstone prepare to welcome Galatasaray to McDiarmid Park for the second leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie.
With the two-legged affair delicately poised ahead of Thursday's game, the winners of this contest are vying to meet Danish side Randers in the playoff round.
Match preview
After a goalless 45 in the first leg, a dreadful attempt at a backpass to Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera had the Uruguayan shot-stopper scrambling to stop St Johnstone's Chris Kane from slotting into an empty net, and in the end the 35-year-old had no choice but to haul Kane down and receive a red card for his troubles.
St Johnstone captain Jason Kerr fired home the resulting spot kick to silence the 6,000-strong crowd at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium, but Galatasaray right-back Sacha Boey took just two minutes to restore parity by rifling an effort into the bottom corner beyond the reaches of Zander Clark.
However, Saints manager Callum Davidson still paid tribute to his side's "special night" in Turkey before issuing a plea for a full-capacity crowd at McDiarmid Park for Thursday's second leg, and the authorities have now confirmed that St Johnstone have been granted the green light to fill the 10,000-seater stadium to the brim.
Davidson's men have certainly demonstrated an affinity for stalemates since the start of pre-season - drawing seven of their last nine competitive and non-competitive fixtures - and they warmed up for the second leg with a share of the spoils against Motherwell in league action, as Tony Watt cancelled out Stephen O'Donnell's own goal.
St Johnstone's away goal may not hold the same significance that it would have done in the 2020-21 campaign, but their performance in Istanbul has certainly given fans a sense of hope that European history could be on the cards.
Galatasaray's rustiness was on show for all to see in the first leg, as Fatih Terim's men do not begin their bid to regain the Super Lig until August 16, and they dropped down to the Europa League after being swept aside 7-2 on aggregate against PSV in the Champions League qualifying rounds.
The 22-time Turkish champions won their final six games of the 2020-21 season and claimed friendly victories over Dinamo Bucuresti and Kasimpasa before their competitive exploits began, but their far superior European pedigree was not enough to get them over the line in the first leg.
Perhaps still reliving the nightmares of last season's short-lived Europa League campaign - where another Scottish opponent in Rangers sent them packing in the playoff round - Terim's men must find inspiration from somewhere, and fast.
However, with European veterans such as Ryan Babel, Arda Turan and Sofiane Feghouli aiming to channel all of their past experience in these situations, it would be folly to write off Galatasaray no matter what vein of form they find themselves in, but their European record away from home makes for grim reading.
Not since 2013 have Galatasaray won away from home in the Champions League - a run of 18 matches without success - while in the Europa League, they have only managed one win from their last six on the road, so a first group-stage appearance since the 2018-19 campaign is far from a certainty.
- D
- D
- W
- D
- D
- D
- D
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
- D
Team News
St Johnstone captain Kerr was forced to miss his side's recent battle with Motherwell with an ankle injury, but Davidson is optimistic that the centre-back will be fit in time for Thursday.
The Saints boss sang the praises of 19-year-old Hayden Muller as he filled in for Kerr at the weekend, but the teenager will certainly drop out of the side here if the hosts' skipper is passed fit.
Craig Bryson (ligament) remains St Johnstone's only other injury concern following Callum Booth's return to fitness, and the likes of Kane, Reece Devine and Murray Davidson should all return to the first XI here.
Galatasaray mainstay Muslera will miss the second leg through suspension following his sending off last week, meaning that Terim should call upon 21-year-old Berk Balaban to fill in.
Patrick Van Aanholt made the starting lineup in the first leg but was one of three changes that Terim made at half time in the tie, with Babel and Mostafa Mohamed's places also in jeopardy.
Should the visiting coach feel that an attacking alteration is necessary, former West Bromwich Albion loanee Mbaye Diagne could be given the nod as Falcao warms the bench.
St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Clark; McCart, Gordon, Kerr; Rooney, Davidson, McCann, Wotherspoon, Devine; Kane, O'Halloran
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Balaban; Boey, Luyindama, Marcao, Van Aanholt; Antalyali; Akturkoglu, Kutlu, Kara, Turan; Diagne
We say: St Johnstone 1-3 Galatasaray (Galatasaray win 4-2 on aggregate)
With the roar of the McDiarmid Park faithful behind them, St Johnstone ought to play without fear in their bid for a slice of history, and the absence of Muslera could prove key.
Terim is under pressure to find a winning formula after three disappointing European encounters so far, but the visitors still hold the favourites tag and will hope to see their celebrated names turn up the heat when it matters most, so we see St Johnstone just falling short on home soil.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
