The Norwegians are looking to finish the job at home: Lillestrøm vs Egnatia prediction
Egnatia
The second leg of the Europa League qualifying play-off between Lillestrøm and Egnatia will take place on 27 August at Åråsen Stadion. The first meeting in Albania ended 0-0, meaning neither side holds an advantage ahead of the decisive match.
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Lillestrøm: home advantage could help them emerge from the slump
Hans Erik Ødegaard's side head into the return leg far from their best form, with Lillestrøm now winless in five consecutive matches across all competitions. However, the Norwegians have drawn their last two games and managed to keep a clean sheet in Albania after a spell in which they conceded nine goals in the league.
The main problem remains in attack: Lillestrøm have scored only twice in their last five matches and have not netted more than two goals in a competitive game since 16 May. Nevertheless, playing at home gives the Norwegians a good opportunity to secure a place in the Europa League proper rather than dropping into the main stage of the Conference League.
Egnatia: Albanian champions have already made history
Egnatia have guaranteed Albanian representation in the main stage of a European competition for the first time in nine years, so their current campaign can already be considered historic. This summer, Nevil Dede's side beat Petrocub in Champions League qualifying before overcoming Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League.
The visitors' form looks more convincing than their opponents': since 8 July, Egnatia have suffered just one defeat in eight competitive matches. Ahead of the trip to Norway, the club also made a successful start to the domestic league season by thrashing Tirana 3-0.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- The first match between the teams ended in a goalless draw.
- Lillestrøm are winless in their last five matches across all competitions.
- Egnatia have lost only one of their eight competitive matches since 8 July.
Home advantage could prove decisive: Lillestrøm vs Egnatia prediction
After a cautious first meeting that ended 0-0, both sides will now have to take more risks. Egnatia have shown during this European campaign that they are capable of causing problems for strong opponents, so the Norwegians should not expect an easy evening.
Nevertheless, Lillestrøm have a slight edge thanks to home advantage. Even despite their poor recent form, the hosts are capable of improving in attack and securing a place in the Europa League proper in a tight contest.
