Sporting Gijon vs Espanyol Predictions

• Espanyol are unbeaten in their last 16 games
• The last five meetings between these two have gone under 2.5 goals
• Martin Braithwaite has 22 league goals this season

Tight affair likely in play-off

Espanyol finished four points ahead of Sporting Gijon in the Spanish second tier and now the sides face off in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals. Stalemates were Espanyol’s nemesis this season, they drew 18 of their 42 games and if they had turned a few more of those into wins, they would have gone up automatically.

Nevertheless no team lost fewer games than the visitors, who were only beaten seven times and are currently on a run of 16 games without tasting defeat. The same can’t be said for Sporting Gijon, who lost 13 of their 42 matches.

This looks likely to be a low-scoring affair, the last five meetings between the two have gone under 2.5 goals and Espanyol’s last five games have only produced six goals.

Braithwaite could be the difference

Espanyol’s defence may come to the fore in this game and given the stakes, this looks set to be a low-scoring affair. The visitors are fancied to continue their long unbeaten streak and are worth siding with in the draw no bet market.

Given the low-scoring nature of Espanyol’s games and the last five meetings between these two, take a 1-0 win for Espanyol.

Former Barcelona striker Martin Braithwaite has been the star for the Parakeets this season, scoring 22 times in the league, and he is taken to get on the scoresheet once more.