Häcken vs CFR Cluj: Who will seize the advantage in the first leg of the qualifiers?
On Thursday, August 21, Häcken will face CFR Cluj in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League playoff qualifying round. The match kicks off at 19:00 CET, and I’m offering my pick for this clash.
Häcken vs CFR Cluj: Match preview
Häcken began their journey in the first qualifying round of the Europa League and managed to progress quite far. The Swedish side first overcame Spartak Trnava 3-2 on aggregate. In the second round, they faced Anderlecht: after a 0-1 loss in the first leg, Häcken triumphed 3-1 at home after extra time. In the third round, the team met Brann and lost 1-2 on aggregate. Simultaneously, Häcken are competing in their domestic league, where after 20 rounds they have 23 points and sit in tenth place.
CFR Cluj have also kicked off their new season in the Romanian league, where they've managed just five points from their first five matches. In the Romanian Super Cup, the team lost 1-2 to FCSB. In European competitions, CFR Cluj started from the first round of the Europa League: they thrashed Paksi 3-0 on aggregate, then edged past Lugano with a 1-0 extra-time win. However, in the third round, the Romanians couldn't cope with Braga and lost 1-4 over two legs.
Match facts and head-to-head statistics
- Häcken have won just one of their last five matches
- CFR Cluj are winless in four straight games: one draw and three defeats.
- CFR Cluj have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four matches.
- At home, Häcken have only one win from their previous five outings.
- CFR Cluj are winless in six consecutive away matches.
- The teams have never faced each other before.
Probable lineups
- Häcken: Berisha, Samuelsson, Lode, Lundqvist, Lindberg, Andersen, Righard, Gustafson, Brusberg, Svanbek, Layouni
- CFR Cluj: Hindrich, Camora, Abeid, Sinyan, Leo Bolgado, Keita, Fica, Djokovic, Nkololo, Postolachi, Korenica
Prediction
This is a clash between two fairly evenly matched teams both aiming to reach the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. My pick: total goals over 2 at odds of 1.65.
