Haugesund vs PSV Predictions

Haugesund are already fifteen games into the Eliteserien campaign but currently sit in mid-table, while their guests on Thursday, PSV, started their Eredivisie season with a draw against newly-promoted Twente.

The form of both clubs over the last month or so suggest that, despite the odds being against them, Haugesund could avoid defeat in Thursday’s 1st leg. The hosts head into the match having won four, drawn one, and lost just one of their last six matches, while PSV have only mustered two wins from their last six matches. PSV were knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers last week by Swiss side Basel and the players and fans alike are much less enthusiastic about participating in the Europa League.

Heading into the 1st leg the stats suggest that we will see both teams score when Haugesund and PSV clash. Both teams have scored in three of Haugesund’s and three of PSV’s last four matches, so both teams have been scoring and conceding on a regular basis. PSV are much fancied to win on Thursday but have only kept one clean sheet in their last six attempts.

Haugesund have only lost one of their last six matches and PSV have only won two of their last six, so the hosts will believe that they can take at least a draw into next weeks 2nd leg in the Netherlands. PSV lost the Super Cup against Ajax, then lost 2-1 to Basel which saw them knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers and followed that up with a disappointing draw away at Twente in the Eredivisie, so their confidence is bound to have taken a beating over the last few weeks.

We’re confident that both teams will score in Thursday’s 1st leg and have predicted a final scoreline of 1-1. Haugesund are the form favourites despite having the lesser of the two starting elevens on paper. PSV’s season has started negatively and some are questioning the clubs’ desire to play in the Europa League due to the fixture build-up that inevitably leads to, and the club will fancy their chances of reclaiming the Eredivisie title if they aren’t competing in European competition, so we could see a weakened, or rotated, starting eleven on Thursday night.