Gent vs Braga Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

With Shakhtar Donetsk dominating Group H in the Europa League, that leaves the rest of the group wide open coming into the penultimate round of games. This one here could well prove pivotal in determining who else will qualify for the knockout stages.

Gent sit 3rd in the group with four points from their opening four games, whilst Sporting Braga are just a point above them in 2nd and Konyaspor are three adrift at the bottom of the table. If Braga win this game they will secure qualification to the knockout rounds, whilst a Gent win would give them an advantage going into the final round of fixtures.

Gent have suffered a few poor spells at times this season, but after 15 games they find themselves 3rd in the Belgian First Division, above the likes of Club Brugge and Anderlecht. This is thanks to their back to back wins this month, which followed on from their thrilling 5-3 defeat at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Sporting Braga managed to end their two match losing streak on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Santa Clara in the Taca de Portugal. Whilst one of these defeats was just a friendly, the other saw them lose 1-0 at Maritimo which will be a worry. Their general inconsistency this season leaves them 5th in the table with an average of two points per game.

As far as star players on show on Thursday, Gent will be looking towards 25 year old striker Kalifa Coulibaly. He has only managed three goals in his 14 league games this season, but in the Europa League he has scored six times with qualification included, making him the highest scorer in the team. Jeremy Perbet is a threat as well with seven goals in all competitions. I’m backing Coulibaly to get another at 21/10 for our anytime goalscorer predictions.

Gent are the definite favourites here. They earned a point away to Braga earlier in the season and at home they have won ten of their last 11 games. Braga have lost four and won just one of their last seven on the road as well, so backing a Gent Win at 21/20 looks like a solid prediction, and I’m backing a 2-1 correct score predictions at 15/2 as well.