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Steffen Schmidt - August 22, 2023
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Lugano
UEFA Europa League Qualification
Date: 24 August 2023, Thursday
Kick-off at 19:30 UK / 20:30 CET
Venue: Stade Joseph Marlen (Bruxelles).
Union Saint-Gilloise made a fantastic return to European football last year by reaching the quarterfinal of the UEFA Europa League.
They will start the journey in the same competition but from the playoffs round this time around with a double-header against Swiss side Lugano.
The first match will be played on Thursday evening in Bruxelles where the Belgians will hope to gain advantage ahead of next week’s return leg.
The hosts will, however, come into this tie off the back of their worst performance of the season.
The team led by German manager Alexander Blessin suffered a demolishing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Mechelen on Saturday in the fourth round of the new season in First Division A.
It was the maiden domestic league loss of the campaign for Union Saint-Gilloise who looked nothing like themselves last weekend, allowing the rivals way too many open looks at their goal on the occasion.
The Belgians will need to be extra careful on Thursday as their back line should be under huge pressure given that Lugano have just notched 13 goals in the last two wins over Yverdon Sport and Gunzwil.
The visitors also have three wins and a loss in the opening four matches of the new season in their domestic league.
Unlike their counterparts, they had a disappointingly short continental campaign last year, falling 1-5 on aggregate to Hapoel Be’er Sheva at the start of their UEFA Europa Conference League Qualifications.
Union did suffer a tough 4-0 loss at Mechelen at the weekend but we still see them as pretty clear favorites both on the night and over two legs in this matchup with Lugano. Both teams have shown strong attacking form this summer which is why the Over 2.5 goals FT Pick looks like the best betting option at the 1.60 odds.
We will alternatively back Union’s top scorer Dennis Eckert to find the back of the net at the 1.95 odds knowing he has bagged four goals in four First Division A appearances so far in the season.
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