The Swiss will have to break down the Danish wall: St Gallen vs Nordsjælland prediction
The second leg of the Conference League qualifying play-off between St Gallen and Nordsjælland will take place on 27 August. The Danish side won the first meeting 1-0, meaning the hosts must overturn a narrow deficit, while the visitors head into the decisive match on an impressive run without conceding.
St Gallen: attack particularly strong at home
The 1-0 defeat in Denmark was a rare match in which St Gallen failed to score: in five of their last six competitive fixtures, the team have found the net at least twice. Before the first game against Nordsjælland, the Swiss side beat Thalwil 3-0, thrashed Sheriff 5-1 and drew 2-2 with Luzern.
Defensive reliability remains a weakness, however, with the team conceding in eight of their nine competitive matches this season and allowing 14 goals in total. At home, though, St Gallen have scored in five consecutive matches, netting at least twice in each of their last four home games and registering 11 goals over that period.
Nordsjælland: seven consecutive clean sheets and a powerful attack
The Danish side head into the return leg in excellent form, with five wins and one draw in their last six matches. After beating St Gallen 1-0, they thrashed Sønderjyske 3-0, while scoring 17 goals across their previous five fixtures.
Even more impressive is Nordsjælland's defence, which has kept seven consecutive clean sheets. However, they now face an away trip to opponents who regularly create plenty of chances at home, so keeping another clean sheet will not be easy.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Nordsjælland won the first match 1-0.
- Both teams have scored in seven of St Gallen's 10 competitive matches this season.
- Nordsjælland have kept seven consecutive clean sheets and scored 17 goals in their last five matches.
The visitors' clean-sheet run could be under threat: St Gallen vs Nordsjælland prediction
St Gallen need to overturn the deficit, so the hosts will be forced to look for opportunities going forward from the opening minutes. Their home scoring record gives them reason to expect at least one goal, but their own defence gives opponents chances far too regularly.
Nordsjælland are currently equally convincing in defence and attack, so they are capable of exploiting the spaces the Swiss side will leave behind. Despite the Danes' run of seven consecutive clean sheets, the nature of the second leg points towards goals at both ends.
