Sarpsborg vs St Gallen Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

It’s all to play for in this Thursday’s UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg clash between Sarpsborg and St Gallen. The Swiss are ahead but Sarpsborg have a crucial away goal, which could prove key in the final reckoning. The winners of this tie will go on to face Rijeka of Croatia in the next round and the more lucrative group stage will be in closer reach.

It’s tough to call who will progress here. St Gallen deserve great credit for winning the 1st Leg, despite being a man and a goal down after just five minutes. Roman Buess’ Second Half strike sealed a 2-1 win and they should be able to take plenty of confidence from having won that match, despite spending 85 minutes playing with 10 men.

However it will be tougher in Norway and the Sarpsborg Stadion crowd will have a big role to play as they try to roar their team into the next round. Sarpsborg’s form had been good prior to that 1st Leg. They’d won 7 of their previous 10 matches and are in the top six in the Norwegian Eliteserien and competing for European qualification again, while they were comfortable 6-0 aggregate winners against IBV in the previous round of this competition.

St Gallen have proved a real step up in class though. The Swiss outfit have made a really mixed start to their new domestic season. They were shock 2-1 winners away to Basel on the opening day but slumped to a 4-2 defeat at home to Sion at the weekend so it has certainly been an eventful start to the new season for them.

Goals look likely again here. 10 of St Gallen’s last 12 matches have seen both teams score including friendlies, while 7 of their last 8 competitive games have done likewise. They will feel as though they still need to score an away goal here as a 1-0 defeat would see them eliminated, so the Swiss side should travel North with positive intentions and their recent matches certainly suggest there will be a goal or two in this for them.

Sarpsborg have netted at least once in all of their last 11 competitive matches though. They will be really disappointed with their failure to make their man advantage count last week and will set about making amends here. 6 of their last 8 matches have produced goals at each end and the recent games of both teams certainly suggest a repeat is highly likely here.

Overall backing Both Teams to Score could be the wise move.