MX23RW : Thursday, November 21 12:04:38| >> :600:1313438:1313438:
[monks data]
Anderlecht
Conference League | Playoffs | 2nd Leg
Aug 25, 2022 at 7pm UK
Lotto Park
Young Boys

Anderlecht
0 - 1
Young Boys


Silva (79'), Olsson (120+2'), Hoedt (120+3')
FT
(aet)
Elia (26')
Camara (39'), Garcia (68'), Lustenberger (96')
Anderlecht win 3-1 on penalties

Preview: Anderlecht vs. Young Boys - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa Conference League clash between Anderlecht and Young Boys, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

With everything still in the balance after a tight first leg, Anderlecht and Young Boys will finish their battle for a place in the Europa Conference League group stage in Belgium on Thursday.

Thursday's hosts picked up a narrow 1-0 victory in Switzerland last week but will see their slender lead come under threat on their return to Lotto Park.


Match preview

After a third-placed finish in their domestic top-flight and a penalty shootout defeat to Gent in the Belgian Cup final under the management of Vincent Kompany, Anderlecht entered Conference League qualifying in the third round.

With Felice Mazzu now in the hot seat following Kompany's summer departure, their continental campaign began with a contest against Paide, and they quickly took control in the away leg, finishing with a 2-0 lead at the halfway stage of the tie thanks to goals from Lior Refaelov and Fabio Silva.

They would then see out a dominant aggregate win with a 3-0 beating of the Estonian outfit in Belgium, as Silva was again on the scoresheet before Michael Murillo netted a brace, booking their playoff tie with Young Boys.

Following a 3-0 win over Sint-Truiden in their domestic top flight, the Purple & White travelled to Bern for the first leg last week, and they now head into their home game with a slender lead, as Hannes Delcroix hit the only goal of the game around the hour mark.

Now rested after a break from league action at the weekend, with Mazzu's men sat fourth with nine points from four games, they will aim to complete the job on Thursday and progress to the group stage with another victory.

That is certainly not guaranteed, though, as Young Boys arrive hoping to overturn the slender deficit and advance themselves with an away win.

The visitors' qualifying campaign began against Liepaja in the second round, and, after a 4-0 aggregate win, they would meet KuPS and take a 2-0 lead into the home leg thanks to goals from Jean-Pierre Nsame and Meschak Elia.

Raphael Wicky's side would then cruise into the playoff round courtesy of a 3-0 home win, with Nsame starring with a brace alongside a goal from Vincent Sierro, and the Bern outfit built further momentum with a league win over Servette by the same margin heading into the first leg of their clash with Anderlecht.

Having fallen just short in that game, and now on the back of a confidence-boosting 10-1 thrashing of Schoenberg in the Swiss Cup, in which Nsame hit a hat-trick and Joel Monteiro chipped in with a brace, Young Boys make the trip to Belgium keen to turn the tie on its head and progress into Europe's tertiary competition after their early exit from the Champions League group stage last time around.

Anderlecht Europa Conference League form:
  • W
  • W
  • W

Anderlecht form (all competitions):
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W

Young Boys Europa Conference League form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • L

Young Boys form (all competitions):
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W


Team News

Anderlecht could remain without key midfielder Lior Refaelov, after the 36-year-old missed last week's first leg through injury.

Fabio Silva will continue to lead the line, having already scored five goals and provided two assists in league and Conference League action following his loan arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers, while fellow prospect Sebastiano Esposito will also be vying for a starting berth after making an appearance off the bench in Switzerland.

Elsewhere, Yari Verschaeren will offer support to the front line from a midfield three, while Michael Murillo also poses an attacking threat in a right wing-back role, with Hannes Delcroix set to operate at the heart of a back three alongside Wesley Hoedt and Zeno Debast.

Young Boys should call Jean-Pierre Nsame back into their starting XI on Thursday, after he was reduced to a substitute appearance in the first leg, with the Swiss Cup hat-trick last time out taking his tally to eight goals for the season alongside three assists.

There are doubts over whether Meschak Elia will be fit to feature, meaning Nsame will likely join former Rangers attacker Cedric Itten with additional support from midfielders like Fabian Rieder and Vincent Sierro.

Mohamed Camara and Cedric Zesiger should continue their partnership in the middle of the defensive unit, with Aurele Amenda likely settling for a place on the bench.

Anderlecht possible starting lineup:
Van Crombrugge; Debast, Delcroix, Hoedt; Murillo, Trebel, Arnstad, Amuzu; Verschaeren; Esposito, Silva

Young Boys possible starting lineup:
Von Ballmoos; Blum, Camara, Zesiger, Lafort; Niasse; Sierro, Rrudhani; Rieder; Itten, Nsame


SM words green background

We say: Anderlecht 2-1 Young Boys (Anderlecht win 3-1 on aggregate)

Mazzu's side did well to triumph away from home, and, with the advantage of playing the second leg at Lotto Park, we see Anderlecht having slightly too much for their visitors and coming away with another win on the night.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




ID:492847:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect9671:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Data Failed

How you voted: Anderlecht vs Young Boys

Anderlecht
53.5%
Draw
23.9%
Young Boys
22.5%
71
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Fabio Silva in action against Norwich City on July 7, 2022.
Read Next:
Wolves confirm Fabio Silva loan switch to Anderlecht
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Chelsea33009
2Legia33009
3Jagiellonia33009
4Rapid Vienna33009
5Heidenheim33009
6Guimaraes33009
7Shamrock32107
8Fiorentina32016
9Ljubljana32016
10Pafos32016
11Hearts32016
12Lugano32016
13Gent32016
14Vikingur 32016
15Borac Banja Luka31114
16Cercle Brugge31114
17Djurgarden31114
18Betis31114
19APOEL31114
20New Saints31023
21Astana31023
22Celje31023
23Omonia31023
24Molde31023
25Backa Topola31023
26HJK Helsinki31023
27St Gallen31023
28Noah31023
29Copenhagen30212
30LASK30212
31Panathinaikos30121
32Istanbul30121
33Mlada Boleslav30030
34Dinamo Minsk30030
35Larne30030
36Petrocub30030


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!