Maccabi Haifa vs Gent prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-02-14 20:00.
Ligat Ha'al table-toppers Maccabi Haifa have won their last two domestic games as part of an extended run of just two defeats from their last 20 matches across all competitions (W14, D4). As they attempt to reach the last 16 of a European competition for the first time since 2006/07, they should be confident going into the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League knockout play-off round tie against Gent.
Messay Dego’s side dropped down into UEFA’s third-tier competition after finishing third in their UEFA Europa League group, where they accumulated five points from six games (W1, D2, L3). It’s little surprise their group stage campaign was indifferent given it was played against the backdrop of conflict in Israel, and as was the case for their second and third group stage ‘home’ games (D1, L1), Maccabi Haifa are without home advantage for this tie, which will begin in neutral territory at the Bozsik Stadion in Budapest.
That could be good news for Gent, who had won only one away game in the knock-out stages of a European competition this century (D2, L5) and at least won’t have to contend with a large partisan crowd. The Buffalos arrive in Hungary on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Cercle Brugge at the weekend, their sixth game without a win (D1, L5), and that problematic form has left manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck questioning whether to “let players rest” and “go into Europe with youth” as he prioritises retaining their top-six league position.
Perhaps a return to the Conference League is what Gent need to get back on track. Prior to their recent Belgian Pro League struggles, they’d enjoyed an excellent European campaign in which they collected their joint-best group stage points haul for a UEFA competition (13; W4, D1, L1). Consequently, they are now attempting to reach the last 16 of this tournament for the third year running.
Players to watch: Maccabi Haifa striker Frantzdy Pierrot has not lost a game in which he has netted since April 2019 (W40, D8). Looking to outgun him will be Gent’s Tarik Tissoudali, who has seen ten of his last 13 strikes serve as the first or last of the game.
Hot stat: Only two of Maccabi Haifa’s last eight European fixtures saw both teams score on the day.