- RSC Anderlecht and Hammarby IF finished 1-1 in the 1st Leg of this tie, meaning that this return leg starts on a knife-edge.
- Anderlecht have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five competitive fixtures (2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat) and Hammarby have won four and drawn one of their last five.
- Anderlecht have scored 10 goals in their last six home matches across all competitions, while Hammarby have notched eight times in their last four away fixtures.
Anderlecht and Hammarby are having contrasting seasons
RSC Anderlecht and Hammarby IF played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of this UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 tie, so there's plenty of work left to do for both sides ahead of Thursday's return match.
Vítor Bruno has been at the helm at Anderlecht since 1st July 2026 and has been pushing his team into vertical transitions and high-tempo pressing since taking charge.
His side have drawn 0-0 at home to Boulogne, beaten NEC Nijmegen 3-2 here and then drawn 1-1 at Hammarby during their three most recent competitive matches - a sequence which suggests a steady, but unspectacular return of 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat.
Hammarby have momentum to make Anderlecht work for a win
Anderlecht have won just two, drawn twice and lost twice in six home games across all competitions, so the Lotto Park advantage doesn't make this game feel like a lock to us.
Henrik Rydstroem took the helm at Hammarby on 6th June 2026 and his men have been making waves in Sweden and will be a tough nut to crack this week.
Bajen have used the width and their flanks to overload opponents and late pressure to force results in their favour during the last few weeks, beating Degerfors IF 4-0 at home and then holding Anderlecht to a 1-1 draw.
They have won five, drawn one and lost four of their last ten across all competitions, a sharper return than the hosts' 2 wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats from the same period.
Danylo Sikan will test Hammarby’s resolve
While Anderlecht have tried to play in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, setting up to win second balls and strike through the middle, Hammarby have usually played a 4-2-3-1 or three-at-the-back system, building up from midfield and feeding the wings.
That makes for a big mismatch of styles here, as Anderlecht want to make it chaotic and hit on the break, while Hammarby like to be structured, use the wings and build pressure patiently.
The Belgians look the likeliest winner here, but with Hammarby having won four and drawn one of their last five, this feels more like a close European clash than a sure fire home victory.
Anderlecht are priced at 27/25, Hammarby at 54/25 and the draw at 13/5, but we are taking the hosts on the draw no bet option and would not put it past the Swedes to strike a blow in this fixture.
Over 2.5 goals is 39/50 while both teams to score is 13/20, so we're expecting an entertaining clash at Lotto Park on Thursday.
Danylo Sikan is the top scorer for Anderlecht in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 with one goal from one appearance, but the Ukrainian is also Anderlecht's top scorer, scoring four of their eight goals in the past five matches.
Frank Junior Adjei is Hammarby's top marksman in this competition with one in one, but Paulos Abraham has scored four of the club's 11 goals in the 5 most recent matches, so the Israel international is their sharpest striker right now.
