Ajax vs Royale Union SG prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-02-19 20:00.
[p]Ajax are firmly in the driving seat of this UEFA Europa League (UEL) play-off tie after securing a crucial 2-0 win against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium last week. The Dutch giants have won four of their last five home games in this competition (L1) – conceding just once across those victories – so they will be confident they have what it takes to see the job through here. [/p]
[p]Last week’s win was followed up with a routine domestic victory over Heracles here on Sunday (4-0) – a fifth successive win across all competitions for Francesco Farioli’s side. Just one defeat from eight prior home European games against Belgian teams only further boosts the odds in the home side’s favour, with the only blemish on that record coming back in December 2009. [/p]
[p]The outlook could have been so different for Royale Union had both or indeed one of their first-half goals not been ruled out for offside in the first leg. The damage might already be done from that defeat, and confidence was hampered further following Sunday’s shock home defeat to relegation-threatened Mechelen (1-0) which made it three defeats in five matches across all competitions (W2). [/p]
[p]Correcting that on their European travels appears unlikely, as Union have won just one of their last seven away matches in this competition (D1, L5), albeit that came on Dutch soil against Twente in November! That’s one of few positive omens Union have to cling to, as after failing to score multiple goals in any of their last nine UEL away matches, the possibility of overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit here appears very slim. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Bertrand TraorĂ©, who grabbed an assist in Sunday’s win, is aiming to score in a fourth successive UEL home game for Ajax here – each of the previous three arrived inside the opening 50 minutes. Defender Kevin Mac Allister will be keen not to be left alone at the back to combat that threat, though the scorer of Union’s last UEL away goal has been booked in two of his last four matches, including in the first leg of this tie.[/p]
[p]Hot streak: There have been three or more total match goals in each of Ajax’s previous five UEL home games. [/p]
[p][i]Written by David HÂ [/i][/p]