Union Berlin vs Royale Union SG prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-09-07 16:45.
Two competition debutants share the stage in UEFA Europa League (UEL) Group D, with Germany’s Union Berlin hosting Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise in the pair’s first ever H2H encounter. The Germans are proving their fifth-place finish in the Bundesliga last season, which secured them their spot in the competition, was no fluke, having started this campaign undefeated (W3, D2), although only keeping one clean sheet in that time might concern coach Urs Fischer.
The Iron Ones will want to leave their mark on the European stage, especially after suffering a rude awakening when failing to make it out the group stages of last season's UEFA Europa Conference League. Opening their campaign at home does offer a significant advantage though, as Union are undefeated in each of their last ten games at Stadion An der Alten Försterei (W7, D3).
Union Saint-Gilloise have quite the story to tell as they prepare for their first ever appearance in any UEFA competition, after earning qualification during their first season in the Belgium top-flight in 49 years! They become the ninth team to represent Belgium in the UEL group stages, after going down 3-2 on aggregate to Scotland’s Rangers in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.
The men from Brussels won’t be looking at their away form for inspiration ahead of this clash, having only won once on the road this season (D1, L3). Neither can they turn to their compatriots for comfort, since out of the 12 occasions a Belgium side has travelled to Germany in the UEL, the away side has come away with victory only once.
Players to watch: Union Berlin’s Sheraldo Becker has been on fire domestically this season, scoring the game’s winning goal in three of his four goalscoring appearances. While Saint-Gilloise’s Dennis Eckert Ayensa has scored seven of his last nine goals after half-time.
Hot streak: All of Union Berlin’s last eight fixtures have seen the same result at the end of the second half as at the end of the first.