The hosts are aiming for a clean sheet win: prediction for Basel vs Lausanne-Sport
The Swiss Super League second-round clash between Basel and Lausanne-Sport will take place on August 1 at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel. The hosts kicked off the season with a win and currently sit fifth with three points, while the visitors, after a draw against Grasshoppers, are in seventh place.
Basel: a winning start without convincing attack
Stephan Lichtsteiner's side opened the league campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Servette. Basel barely allowed their opponents a sniff at goal, but could only find the net themselves in the 78th minute, converting a penalty.
This successful start is especially important after last season's disastrous finish, when the club suffered five defeats in their final six matches. At home, results were also inconsistent: in their last four league games at St. Jakob-Park, Basel managed one win, one draw, and two losses.
Defensive reliability at St. Jakob-Park remains a concern. In their previous 12 official home fixtures, Basel kept a clean sheet just once, conceding nine goals in their last four home matches of last season.
Lausanne-Sport: caution didn't help secure victory
In the opening round, Luka Elsner's team drew 1-1 with Grasshoppers. After halftime, Lausanne virtually abandoned attacking play, and were punished in the 81st minute when their opponents scored a deserved equalizer.
The draw extended Lausanne's winless streak in the league to five matches, though it was the first time in that run they avoided defeat. The new coach is only beginning to rebuild a squad that finished last regular season in ninth place with 39 points.
Lausanne's away form is particularly poor. They have lost their last four official away matches by an aggregate score of 1-11, and collected just 19 points on the road in the previous league campaign.
Match facts and head-to-head stats
- Basel started the season with a 1-0 win over Servette.
- Lausanne have lost their last four official away matches by an aggregate score of 1-11.
- Lausanne have won only once in their last seven meetings with Basel.
Home and away form difference: Basel vs Lausanne-Sport prediction
The hosts didn't impress with their attacking flair in the opening round, but showed disciplined play off the ball and barely allowed any dangerous chances at their end. Given Lausanne's cautious and unproductive attack, that could well be enough for another positive result.
The visitors were far too passive in the closing stages against Grasshoppers, and their away record remains among the worst in the league. Even if Moussa Cisse is absent, Basel look significantly stronger in terms of personnel, and Xherdan Shaqiri and Žan Celar have the quality to decide the outcome in favor of the favorites.
