LASK vs Djurgarden prediction: EUROPE: Conference League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-02 19:00.
[p]After a miserable start to the season, a change of manager appears to have finally got things back on track for LASK. The Austrians won just two of their opening nine games across all competitions (D1, L6), a run that included a 2-1 defeat over two legs to FCSB in a Europa League play-off tie and with the seventh of those fixtures – a 5-1 defeat against Wolfsberger – ultimately costing Thomas Darazs his job, Markus Schopp has since been named as his successor.[/p]
[p]The new boss lost his first game in charge, but they have since turned a corner as a 1-1 draw against Rapid Wien the league on Saturday was a third game without defeat (W2, D1). Even so, Schopp insists his side “still have to improve in many areas,” something he hopes that they can do in the UEFA Conference League as they attempt to extend their run of suffering just two losses across their last 11 home European games (W6, D3).[/p]
[p]Opponents Djurgårdens will be no pushovers though, as they arrive at the Raiffeisen Arena in fantastic form themselves, losing just three times across their last 13 outings (W6, D4). The latter of those fixtures came as a 1-1 stalemate against Värnamo at the weekend, which may have ended the Iron Stoves’ quest for a first Swedish title since 2019, as they now sit ten points behind Malmö with just five games remaining.[/p]
[p]Focus is therefore on continental football, and the Swedes have some history in this competition having qualified for the round of 16 two seasons ago. In that campaign, they went unbeaten away from home during the group stage (W2, D1) and if they can produce similar in the league phase this year, it would not only give them a strong chance of making the knockout rounds but also go some way to avenging a 2-0 defeat to LASK when the sides met in the 1996 Intertoto Cup.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: LASK striker Marin Ljubičić has seen seven of his last nine goals serve as the first or last of the game. Attempting to steal the limelight from him will be Djurgårdens’ Deniz Hümmet, who has not lost any of the last ten games in which he has scored (W8, D2), including three Conference League qualifiers (W3).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Only one of Djurgårdens’ last eight away games in the Conference League has produced 3+ total goals.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matt Jones[/i][/p]