Konyaspor v Vitória SC background
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Article summary
Konyaspor will hope that eight is their lucky number as they seek their first European victory against a Vitória SC side without a win in eight UEFA outings in Group I.
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Konyaspor will hope that eight is their lucky number as they look to win their first UEFA Europa League game after seven failures when Vitória SC visit in Group I.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time.
• In their only past meeting with Portuguese opponents, Konyaspor took on Braga in last season's group stage; they drew 1-1 at home and lost 3-1 in Portugal – that draw remains their only European game that did not end in defeat.
• Vitória SC have lost all three of their previous games against Turkish sides, conceding three goals in each fixture.
Form guide
• A 1-0 loss at Marseille on matchday one extended Konyaspor's wait for a first UEFA competition win to seven games: D1 L6. They have scored only two European goals, both against a Portuguese opponent, Braga – and never more than one in a single match.
• Held 1-1 in Guimaraes by Salzburg on matchday one, Vitória SC are without a win in eight European matches: D3 L5.
• Vitória SC have gone ten games (D3 L7) without a UEFA away success since a 1-0 UEFA Cup first round triumph at Wisła Kraków on 29 September 2005.
• Winners of the 2016/17 Turkish Cup, Konyaspor made their European competition debut in last year's UEFA Europa League group stage.
• Fourth in the Liga and runners-up in the Portuguese Cup last season, Vitória SC are participating in their third UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League group stage. They are yet to make it through.
Links and trivia
• The journey from Guimaraes to Konya is around 3,500km.
• Vitória SC's Uruguayan forward David Texeira played club football in Turkey with Sivasspor (2016).
• This is Vitória SC's 60th UEFA game – and Konyaspor's eighth.
The coaches
• Konyaspor boss Mustafa Reşit Akçay is back in the group stage for a third time having coached Trabzonspor and Osmanlıspor in past editions. A youth specialist, he went unbeaten in his first 19 games in UEFA competition (W15 D4).
• Vitória SC coach since summer 2016, Pedro Martins previously led Marítimo (2012/13) and Rio Ave (2014/15) in this competition's group stage. A former Guimarães midfielder, he was capped once during his time at Sporting CP (1995–98).