Standard Liege vs Akhisar Belediye Predictions

Belgian club Standard Liége entertain Akhisar Belediye at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne this Thursday in Group J of the Europe League, with both teams chasing the first points of their respective continental campaigns.

Standard Liége have had a underwhelming start to the 2018/19 season. The euphoria felt at the club from the appointment of club legend and Belgian title winning manager Michel Preud’homme over the summer has given way to a feeling of frustration after some sub-par performances and results.

Les Rouges have won just four of their opening nine fixtures in the Belgian First Division A, which has already left the club ten points adrift of leaders Club Brugge at the summit. In the Europa League, the picture hasn’t been any prettier and Standard were annihilated at Sevilla in their first Group J game, falling to a confidence shattering 5-1 defeat in Spain.

That heavy defeat was one of four setbacks in their last six games for Standard, though they did recover to win their first game during that period at the weekend away at KV Oostende. That 3-1 victory should help to lift spirits ahead of what could be a crucial Europa League Group J fixture this week.

Standard’s opponents this week, Akhisar Belediye, have had an even more miserable time of it in 2018/19 so far. Akigo are in the relegation zone after seven rounds of Turkish Super Lig fixtures, having won just one of their opening septet of games.

Last year’s Turkish Cup winners are playing in the Europa League for the first time in their history this season and little is expected of the first timers in terms of overall progress. Akhisar Belediye lost 1-0 at home to Krasnodar in their opening Group J game and that result is likely to set the trend for the rest of their continental schedule.

Akhisar Belediye have lost all four of the away matches they have played this season and we expect them to struggle on their travels again on Thursday. Historically, the Turkish side have lost six and drawn four of their last eleven games on Belgian soil and we’re tipping them to come undone again in Liége this week.

Despite their poor results, Akigo do at least have a handy knack of getting themselves on the score-sheet. Akhisar Belediye have only failed to score in two of their last nine matches in all competitions, despite winning just twice.

Standard Liége have kept only two clean sheets in nine themselves and with their defensive work continuing to fall below the required standard, we expect both teams to score on Thursday.

Standard are routinely involved in high scoring matches – eight of their last nine games have finished with over 2.5 goals scored in them. In fact, those fixtures averaged 3.3 goals per game in total. That high average has a great chance of being maintained this week and we recommend considering the over 2.5 goal market again for Thursday’s game. Our correct score prediction forecasts a 2-1 win for the hosts.