Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The decisive playoff clash for a spot in the Conference League takes place on Thursday at the Bosuilstadion, where Antwerp will face Charleroi. Here’s a bet on the outcome of this encounter with promising chances for success.
Match preview
Antwerp got off to a rocky start in the Championship round and only managed to secure their first wins midway through the tournament, defeating Genk (1-0) and Gent (3-0). Interestingly, both victories came on the road, while their performances at home left much to be desired. In five home matches, Antwerp suffered four defeats and managed just one draw.
In the last round, Antwerp traveled to Brugge and played out a 1-1 draw. Antwerp struck first in the 35th minute, but the "Blauw-Zwart" equalized before halftime. As a result, the "Reds" finished fifth in the standings, six points ahead of Gent.
Charleroi, on the other hand, breezed through the second stage of the championship, easily securing the top spot in the table. Over 10 matches, the team collected 40 points, recording six wins with just a single defeat.
Charleroi finished seven points clear of their closest rivals, Westerlo. In the final round, Charleroi hosted OH Leuven and clinched a 2-1 victory. Overall, in their last five matches, Charleroi has notched four wins and one draw.
Probable lineups
- Antwerp: Lammens - Deman, Van den Bosch, Odoi, Bataille - Doumbia, Prat - Balikwisha, Sherry, Kerk – Bayo
- Charleroi: Delavallée, Petris, Keita, Andreu, Dragsnes, Nzita, Titrai, Zorgane, Bernier, Heymans, Guiagon, Stulic
Match facts and head-to-head
- This season, both teams claimed away wins against each other – Antwerp won 1-0 on the road, while Charleroi took revenge with a 3-1 victory
- The "Both teams to score" bet has landed in 4 of the last 5 matches
- The "Total over 2.5 goals" option has also come through in 4 of the last 5 games
Prediction
The bookmakers give a slight edge to Antwerp, with their win priced at odds of around 2.30. Given the head-to-head stats, we recommend backing "Both teams to score" at odds of 1.60.
