Seeking to end their three-game losing streak and move top of Group D of the Europa League, Braga visit the Stade Joseph Marien to face Union SG on Thursday.
The Belgian outfit, who are currently on a run of five consecutive victories, will head into the midweek matchup looking to keep the juggernaut rolling and maintain their 100% record in Europe.
Match preview
© Reuters
Union SG maintained their fine run of results in the Belgian top flight as they held on for a narrow 2-1 victory over Cercle Brugge when the sides squared off last Sunday.
After taking a first-half lead contest of Dante Vanzeir's second-minute opener, Simon Adingra doubled their lead with a 56th-minute strike before substitute Yann Gboho pulled one back for the Groen en Zwart in the 74th minute.
Karel Geraerts's men have now won three consecutive matches in the First Division, where they are currently third in the league standings, level on 22 points with fourth-placed Club Brugge.
Union SG's fine domestic run has been in keeping with their performances in the Europa League as they are one of just four sides who have enjoyed a 100% start to the campaign after winning each of their opening three matches.
After kicking off their quest for European glory with a 1-0 victory over German side Union Berlin on September 8, Les Unionistes saw off Malmo 3-2 on matchday two, before stunning Braga to a 2-1 victory at the Estadio Braga Municipal last Thursday.
Union SG, who currently boast a three-point lead at the summit of Group D, head into Thursday on a run of five consecutive victories across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and conceding five since a 2-1 loss to Genk on September 11.
© Reuters
Braga, on the other hand, failed to arrest their slump as they fell to a shock 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Chaves in the Portuguese Primeira Liga last weekend.
Artur Jorge's men failed to find the back of the net for the first time since April as Spanish forward Hector Hernandez netted the only goal of the game in the second minute to hand the newly-promoted side their third win of the season.
Os Arcebispos, who are currently third in the Primeira Liga table, have now lost three games on the bounce across all competitions — their joint-longest run of consecutive defeats for the first time since May 2019 when they also lost three in a row.
This drop-off in form has been owing to their recent struggles in defence, where they have conceded seven goals while scoring just twice since a 2-0 home victory over Vizela on September 18.
Braga now turn their sights to the Europa League, where they are currently second in the group standings with six points from a possible nine, and will be looking to return to winning ways after last week's defeat to Union SG denied them a third consecutive European victory.
Team News
© Reuters
There are no fresh injury updates in the Union SG camp as the Belgian outfit will still take to the pitch without 25-year-old defender Koki Machida, who is yet to make an appearance this season after picking up a hip injury in May.
He is joined on the club's injury table by German forward Dennis Eckert Ayensa, who has missed the last three outings after coming off injured in the game against Malmo on September 15.
With his superb performance against Cercle Brugge at the weekend, when he scored one goal and set up another, Adingra now has six goal involvements in his last four games and the Brighton & Hove Albion loanee will be one to keep an eye out for.
As for Braga, Jorge will be unable to call upon the services of experienced midfielder Mutassim Al Musrati, who is set to sit out his third consecutive game after picking up an injury in September.
In his absence, Uros Racic and Andre Horta should pair at the centre of the park for the second consecutive game, while Vitor Gomez, Sikou Niakate, Vitor Tormena and Nuno Sequeira should form the back four.
Simon Banza has failed to find the back of the net in seven straight games, but the French forward should retain his role at the attacking end of the pitch, alongside Abel Ruiz.
Union SG possible starting lineup:
Moris; Nieuwkoop, Kandouss, Burgess, Van Der Heyden; Lazare, Lynen, Lapoussin; Vanzeir, Teuma, Boniface
Braga possible starting lineup:
Sa; Gomez; Niakate, Tormena, Sequeira; Lainez, R Horta, Racic, A Horta; Ruiz, Banza
We say: Union SG 2-1 Braga
Union SG will welcome the challenge of an out-of-sorts Braga side, who have lost each of their last three matches. The Belgian side have been rock-solid on home turf, where they have won six of their last seven outings, and we predict that they will maintain their perfect European record with a slender victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
