Gent to secure 1st leg lead against Valerenga
KAA Gent vs Valerenga - 22/07/2021
3463
It’s the turn of the newly-created Europa Conference League on Thursday as the 1st legs of the 2nd qualifying round gets underway and features the clash between Belgian outfit, Gent, and their Norwegian counterparts, Valerenga, when the teams meet at the GHELAMCO-arena.
Gent ended last season’s Belgian First Division A campaign in triumphant fashion as the hosts won their last four league matches of the term on the trot with important victories gained over Oostende (home and away), Standard Liege and Mechelen, which in turn helped KAA Gent seal a place in this Europa Conference League qualifiers.
Pre-season friendlies aside, Gent have produced a fairly consistent batch of results of late as the hosts have suffered just two defeats out of their last 11 matches overall in all competitions, both of which were away from home and both at Standard Liege in the regular season and then in the 2nd phase of the domestic season, in the Conference League play-offs.
However, seven wins within this period should give Gent plenty of confidence ahead of this European tie, especially as the hosts posted 4-0, 7-2 and 4-0 victories over Sporting Charleroi, Zulte-Waregem and Oostende respectively during this time.
Valerenga’s domestic top flight campaign may well be in full-swing but the Norwegian visitors have had a tricky time of it in the Eliteserien in recent times as they’ve managed to pick up just two wins from their previous eight matches overall.
These wins came in the form of a 2-0 win on the road at bottom club, Stabaek, and a 4-1 home win against fifth from bottom outfit, Sarpsborg, while two defeats and four draws haven’t been enough to prevent Valerenga from dropping down into 5th place on the Eliteserien ladder.
Interestingly, the two defeats handed to Valerenga during this eight-match sequence were both incurred away from home at Viking 4-1 and Haugesund 3-1, so perhaps the visitors possess a soft underbelly on their travels.
In addition, Valerenga have won just three of their last 10 matches in all competitions on their travels, keeping just two clean sheets within this period and they may well be tested again at a free-scoring Gent on Thursday night.
Gent finished last term in strong fashion and the hosts possess some dangerous attacking personnel in the shape of Yaremchuk and Tissoudali, so a home win in this 1st leg looks likely.
Home team
Away team
Pred
Correct score
Avg. goals
Weather conditions
Coef.
Score
Live
coef.
ECL
522226
1
3 - 0
2.84
20°
1.33
1.33
4.50
7.00
-1
1
1
4 - 0(2 - 0)
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