Royale Union SG vs Bodo/Glimt prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-02 19:00.
[p]A 3-0 win over Kortrijk over the weekend was timely for Union Saint-Gilloise as it ended a five-match winless run (D3, L2) before Bodø/Glimt visit in the UEFA Europa League (UEL). A 2-1 defeat to Fenerbahçe on matchday one lies within that winless streak, but most of those games came on the road, with Union SG being a tougher nut to crack at home, keeping three successive clean sheets (W2, D1). [/p]
[p]This is a home game of sorts for Union SG, who are still playing in Brussels, just at the King Baudouin Stadium rather than their home ground of the Stade Joseph Marien which doesn’t meet UEFA requirements. They’ll hope to meet the requirements on the pitch to get off the mark in this league phase, and having strung together an unbeaten four-match run in UEL ‘home’ action (W3, D1), including beating Liverpool, they just might. [/p]
[p]Bodø/Glimt brought around a shock home win of their own on matchday one, defying their underdog tag to beat Porto 3-2 despite playing out a little under half the game with ten men. They’ll need their full contingent on the field here to have the best chance of claiming a result as they meet Belgian opposition for the third time, losing home and away to Club Brugge in last season’s Conference League. [/p]
[p]They’re seemingly up against it to avoid a trilogy of Belgian defeats given their torrid travelling form which has seen them win only two of their 21 away games in the main draw of a European competition (D8, L11). Even their Eliteserien away form has been indifferent of late (W1, D2, L2), but with a comfy lead at the Norwegian top-flight summit, they can afford to focus a bit more energy on their European campaign. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Mohammed Fuseini was on target for Union SG at the weekend and he has an eye for a crucial goal for his side given five of his last seven scoring appearances saw him net what proved to be the winning goal. Jens Petter Hauge netted a brace on matchday one for Bodø/Glimt and he repeated the feat at the weekend too, with three of those four goals coming before the break. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Bodø/Glimt have never kept a clean sheet in the UEL. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]