Molde vs Qarabag prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-11-29 20:00.
Assuming the concurrent Group B match goes as expected and Bayer Leverkusen beat group minnows Häcken, Azerbaijan’s Qarabağ could seal their progression through to the knockout stages of this season’s UEFA Europa League (UEL) with a second consecutive win over Norwegian outfit Molde. Neither club is likely to chase down group leaders Leverkusen, but can instead grab second place and a spot in the knockout round play-offs against the sides dropping down from the UEFA Champions League.
The best thing Molde can do to ensure they don’t end up back in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) by virtue of a third-placed finish is to reverse the H2H advantage conceded to Qarabağ when they lost the previous H2H 1-0 in September, particularly as they have a far superior overall goal difference. Winning a slim majority of UEFA home games (W7, D2, L4) since the start of 2021/22 should give them some confidence, as should coming into this match with three consecutive 2+ goal wins across all competitions and venues.
Qarabağ were so close to taking a draw at home to Leverkusen on matchday four, only to be cruelly stripped of the point by a stoppage time penalty. With their final group stage match to take place at home to winless Häcken, any points secured in Norway could go a long way towards replicating their second-place finish in their 2021/22 UECL group.
Head coach Gurban Gurbanov has promised to draw inspiration from a recently released biographical film about his 35-year career as a player and manager when motivating his players for this crucial contest. Together they’ll be hoping to make some club history and collect two away wins in a UEL group stage for the first time following their 1-0 victory at Häcken in early October.
Players to watch: Molde’s Fredrik Gulbrandsen scored their first goal in each of their last two UEL matches, both victories over Häcken. Similarly, Qarabağ defender and penalty taker Toral Bayramov recorded their opening goal in both league games since their previous UEL appearance.
Hot stat: 75% of Molde’s group stage games in any UEFA competition since 2020/21 produced 3+ total goals.