Royale Union SG vs Ajax prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-02-12 17:45.
[p]Despite losing their last UEFA Europa League (UEL) league phase match 2-1 to Rangers, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise’s three successive wins prior were enough to see them through to the knockout play-off round as an unseeded side. It’s the third season in a row that the Belgians will experience knockout football in Europe, and confidence will be high since they’ve navigated through the first tie in each of those prior two campaigns. [/p]
[p]Those encounters didn’t come without adversity for Union, as they’ve now failed to win the first leg of a major European knockout tie in ten consecutive attempts (D4, L6). Form is on their side to break that mold here though, since Sébastien Pocognoli’s men have won six of their last seven games in all competitions (L1), and eight of their last nine matches as the designated home team (D1).[/p]
[p]In their way will be one of Europe’s most history rich sides in Ajax, who finished the league phase in 12th courtesy of winning four of their eight games (D1, L3). This marks their seventh successive appearance in the knockout stages of a UEFA competition, and Francesco Farioli’s men are likely to make for confident travellers as they cross the border having won eight of their last ten matches in all competitions (L2). [/p]
[p]One of those two losses came on the road in this competition against minnows RFS, but Ajax will look to respond here and build on a favourable record against Belgian opposition having lost just four of their previous 18 such H2Hs (W10, D4). Concern remains over their more recent returns in the latter stages of European competitions however, with their last ten knockout games in UEFA tournaments yielding just a single win (D5, L4). [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Mohammed Fuseini will be looking to put Union ahead early, since he’s netted the match opener in five of his last six goalscoring outings. He’ll face stiff competition from the man born on the same day as him in Kenneth Taylor, who has scored decisively in five of his last seven goalscoring appearances for Ajax. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Nine of Royale Union’s last 11 matches as the designated home team saw both teams score (W8, D2, L1). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]