Gent vs Maccabi Haifa prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-02-20 17:00.
Gent come into Wednesday’s UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) play-off second leg against Maccabi Haifa needing to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit to advance to the last 16. The Belgian side should take confidence from achieving that very feat at this stage last year, beating Qarabağ 1-0 on the night before winning on penalties.
The Buffalos warmed up for this week’s game with a much-needed 2-0 away win at Eupen to bring a timely end to a run of seven matches without a victory (D1, L6)! Sunday’s victory also saw Gent keep a clean sheet for the first time in eight, displaying a much-needed return to defensive form given that they’ve shut out their opponents four times across a perfect run of six consecutive European home wins this term.
One of those came against Haifa’s great rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv, providing the visitors with yet more inspiration to go one better here. The Greens were perhaps fortunate to escape the first leg with a 1-0 victory considering that Gent fired in 20 shots, and keeping them out again looks a tall order given that Messay Dego’s men have lost three of their last four European away games (W1).
Maccabi Haifa will therefore be desperate for a change in their travelling fortunes, not least because they could advance to the last 16 of a European competition for the first time since 2006/07 with a victory here. No matter the outcome the tie looks set to be poised nicely heading into the closing stages, as the Israeli side haven’t conceded in the first half of any of their last 11 games.
Key Battle: Gent’s Israeli attacking midfielder Omri Gandelman will be keen to put on a good show against his countrymen and he’s scored in both of his side’s last two European home games. Looking to stop him in this clash will be Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper Sharif Kaiuf who has kept three clean sheets and conceded just one goal from four games in February.
Hot stat: Gent have scored 23 goals in their six UECL home matches so far this season, an average of 3.83 per game!