Gent enter this third qualifying round tie with a defensive foundation that has yet to be breached in the competition, keeping three clean sheets in three outings. The concern for the Belgian side is a blunt attacking edge, having failed to score in two of those three contests…
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Sign inBelgian side Gent welcome Swedish outfit IFK Goteborg to their Planet Group Arena home on Thursday evening, with a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off round at stake. The first leg of this third qualifying round tie, kicking off at 8.30pm local time in Gent, offers both clubs a clear route towards the lucrative league phase.
The winner of this two-legged affair will face either Hibernian or KF Shkendija in the play-off round later this month, as revealed in Monday’s draw at UEFA headquarters. For Gent, a club accustomed to European group stage football in recent seasons, progress is expected; for IFK Goteborg, it represents an opportunity to rekindle past continental glories. The first leg at the 20,185-capacity Gent ground will set the tone for the return meeting in Gothenburg.
Gent have established themselves as regular participants in UEFA competition, reaching the knockout stages of this tournament and its predecessor in three of the last four campaigns. Under manager Wouter Vrancken, they typically set up in a front-foot 4-3-3 shape, relying on width and quick interchanges in the final third. Home form has been a cornerstone of those runs – the Planet Group Arena has witnessed notable scalps that include a victory over Tottenham Hotspur in 2017. The Belgian outfit will need that familiar environment to roar them through a potentially awkward test against seasoned Swedish opponents.
IFK Goteborg carry the weight of their own history into this tie. The 1982 and 1987 UEFA Cup winners have spent recent years chasing the dominance they once held in Scandinavian football, finishing mid-table in the Allsvenskan last term. Mikael Stahre’s side favour a compact 4-4-2 block that seeks to frustrate and break quickly. While Gent’s European experience gives them the edge on paper, Goteborg’s ability to grind out results away from home cannot be dismissed lightly – their route to this stage was secured via a disciplined domestic league campaign rather than a cup triumph.
The contest is likely to hinge on whether Gent’s ball-playing midfield can prise open a deep-lying Goteborg backline. The Belgian side’s full-backs will push high, and the visitors must resist the urge to retreat too deep and invite sustained pressure. Set-pieces could also prove decisive: both squads are tall and physical, a trait that often surfaces in European qualifiers. With no fresh injury concerns reported by either camp, both managers are expected to name near full-strength lineups.
The second leg takes place in Gothenburg on August 20, with the aggregate winner advancing to face either Hibs or Shkendija for a coveted Conference League group-stage berth.
Gent
Coach: Rik De Mil
IFK Goteborg
Coach: Joachim Bjorklund
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