LASK vs Royale Union SG prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-11-08 17:45.
Austrian outfit LASK will be desperate to bring some of their strong domestic form into European competition on Thursday, as they come into matchday four of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) still searching for their first point in Group E. However, with Liverpool the runaway leaders in the group with a 100% record, a strong showing over the final three games could well see the Black-Whites sneak into second spot.
That kind of turnaround is not out of the question for LASK, who play two of their remaining group stage games on home soil at the Raiffeisen Arena, where they’ve lost just four times in 23 European matches this century (W15, D4, L4). But with two of those defeats coming against Belgian opposition, Thomas Sageder’s side will need to improve that particular record if they want to stay in the competition as Royale Union Saint-Gilloise come to town.
Les Unionistes travel south east for their first competitive game in Austria in second place in the group after picking up a point at home against Toulouse and beating LASK 2-1 in the reverse fixture. They lost 2-0 on their visit to Anfield early last month, but have enjoyed success on the road in European action, going unbeaten in UEL away matches en route to the quarter-finals last season.
With seven successive wins putting them four points clear at the top of the Belgian Pro League, Alexander Blessin’s team will be full of confidence ahead of this match. A return of ten goals scored across their last three away league matches indicates that travel sickness shouldn’t be an issue, but translating that is a different matter, as they’re yet to net on the road in this season’s UEL group stage.
Players to watch: Moses Usor opened the scoring when the two teams last met, and also scored the first goal of the game in LASK’s 3-1 win on Sunday. Royale Union’s Mohamed Amoura has been in fine form with eight goals from his last seven games in the Belgian Pro League, including both of his side’s strikes at the weekend.
Hot stat: LASK have not drawn a home European fixture 0-0 since the 1987/88 season (W18, D6, L5).