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Lugano and HJK will battle for three points in a UEFA Conference League fixture on Thursday. The hosts are coming off a 2-1 comeback home victory over Winterthur in the Swiss Super League over the weekend.
They went behind to Labinot Bajrami's 58th-minute strike while Renato Steffen stepped off the bench to complete the comeback with a brace.
HJK, meanwhile, suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Ilves in the Finnish Veikkausliiga. Roope Riski's 82nd-minute strike proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The Helsinki outfit will turn their focus to the continent, having booked their spot in the league phase with a 4-3 aggregate win over Klaksvik in the playoff. Lugano dropped into the Conference League following their 8-4 aggregate defeat to Besiktas in the UEFA Europa League.
Lugano vs HJK Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be the first meeting between the two sides.
- Lugano are winless in 11 home games in European competition since the 2017-18 season (six losses).
- HJK are winless in their last 14 European away games (10 losses).
- Lugano conceded in both halves in all three home games they have played in Europe this season.
- Nine of Lugano's last 10 games across competitions have seen both sides find the back of the net, with eight games in this sequence producing three goals or more.
- Four of HJK's last five competitive games have witnessed goals at both ends.
Lugano vs HJK Prediction
Lugano have played in all three UEFA club competitions this season, having started the campaign in the UEFA Champions League. Mattia Croci-Torti's side started the season in indifferent form but have been at their best in recent weeks and are currently on a five-game unbeaten run across competitions (three wins).
HJK, for their part, also started the campaign in the top tier of European club football but will have to settle for a place in the tertiary competition. The Finnish champions have a poor record on their travels on the continent and are currently on a three-game winless run. This poor run has left them in danger of ending their run of four successive league titles.
We are backing the home side to claim a comfortable victory with goals at both ends.
Prediction: Lugano 3-1 HJK
Lugano vs HJK Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Lugano to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 4 - Lugano to score over 1.5 goals
