- KAA Gent have won the bragging rights so far after beating IFK Goteborg 1-0 away in the UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026.
- KAA Gent are unbeaten in their last 5 matches, which includes the first leg of this tie.
- KAA Gent are also unbeaten at home in all competitions (W2, D1).
This will be a battle of contrast
KAA Gent and IFK Goteborg have contrasting systems and will clash in a classic control vs counter match at Planet Group Arena in Belgium on Thursday. Rik De Mil has his Gent side set up in a fairly compact 4-2-3-1 system and they have been well balanced on the whole in the opening stages of this campaign.
Gent control the ball well and are proficient in their build-up play, they press well, but are not overly aggressive in that regard, and they move the ball forward with speed and purpose when a pocket of space opens up. Hyllarion Goore is Gent's player so far this season with 1 goal in 3 UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026 games. He's a lively option to play off in the box and has the pace to get in behind the opposing defence.
Joachim Bjoerklund's Goteborg are set up to be more reactive and thrive in transition, but they haven't looked particularly solid in their organisation so far. IFK's player in the UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026 so far is Adam Bergmark Wiberg who has scored 2 goals in 3 appearances. Sam Larsson has scored 2 of Goteborg's 5 goals.
Gent to nick it
Gent are in good nick, and it's hard to ignore the fact that they beat Goteborg 1-0 away. They are unbeaten in their last 5 across all competitions (W2, D2) and have won their last 2.
Goteborg's form is mixed across all competitions with 3 wins, 1 draw and 6 defeats across their last 10. This is a game that they can get something from if they can remain resolute, but they are unlikely to get it on a platter.
The odds favour KAA Gent on paper at 7/20, but IFK Goteborg are a massive 89/10 and the draw is priced up at 81/20. We're going for a home win, but it's likely to be close. Under 2.5 goals at 91/100 and BTTS-No at 53/100 are also strong options.
KAA Gent are undefeated at home in all competitions (W2, D1), but they've conceded 7 goals in 3 games at 2.33 per-game, which is concerning. Goteborg have conceded 3.00 per-game away from home across all competitions (W1, D0, L2).
