Copenhagen and Malmo have everything to play for on EL matchday 6

FC København vs Malmö FF - 12/12/2019

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FC Copenhagen host Malmo on matchday 6 of the Europa League group stage with both teams able to make or break their European campaigns.

The Group B rivals are separated by just one point as Copenhagen are top of the group on nine points. Malmo sit second on eight with Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv third on six points.

Both Copenhagen and Malmo need victories to ensure they qualify for the knockout stage of the Europa League. Copenhagen can theoretically lose to Malmo but still go through even if Dynamo Kyiv win. However, progression will come down to goal difference in that circumstance.

Malmo earned a 1-1 draw with Copenhagen when the two Nordic clubs met in October. Copenhagen took a first-half lead through Lasse Nielsen before Markus Rosenberg levelled the scoreline for Malmo.

Uwe Rosler’s Malmo concluded their Allvenskan domestic season on 2 November. The club has not played regular football in over a month. The rest could either give them an advantage or prevent them from having the fitness to defeat Copenhagen.

Despite losing just three league games during the Allvenskan season, Malmo finished second behind league champions Djurgarden with just one point separating them. They will hope to overcome that disappointment by qualifying for the Europa League’s last 32.

Copenhagen are on a four-match winning streak in all competitions and will go into the fixture with plenty of confidence. Stale Solbakken’s team is second in the Danish Superliga behind Midtjylland. The Europa League may be their only hope of a trophy as seven points separate them from the top team.

With so much on the line for progression on Thursday night, the fixture between Copenhagen and Malmo should be a tight affair. Copenhagen average just 1.66 goals scored and concede a mere 0.94 goals in all competitions.

Malmo have played 14 times in the Europa League including qualifying. They average 2.29 goals scored and 0.79 goals conceded per match. Based on the average goals allowed by both teams, Thursday night’s crunch tie should be a low-scoring affair with a mere goal separating them.

Due to Malmo being in the closed season in Sweden, they should lack the fitness to compete with Copenhagen for a hard 90 minutes. Therefore, the Danish club should go through to the round of 32 with a win over Malmo.

Copenhagen striker Pieros Sotiriou is in great form this season and could get on the score sheet. He has bagged 11 goals in all competitions. Sotiriou will be lively and Copenhagen should pull off a narrow win to progress as Group B winners.

Home team
Away team

Probability %

1X2

Pred

Correct score

Avg. goals

Weather conditions

Coef.

Score

Live
coef.

UEL

FC København Malmö FF 12/12/2019 18:55

423325

1

1 - 0

2.08

5°

2.65

2.65 3.20 2.90 1 -1 -1

FT

0 - 1(0 - 0)

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