Anderlecht vs Hammarby - prediction, team news, lineups

Continuing their bid to scope the league signifier of the 2026 Europa League, Belgian giants Anderlecht welcome Hammarby to the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium for the 2nd limb of their second-qualifying circular tie.

The 2 sides met successful the Swedish superior of Stockholm conscionable nether a week agone for the opening fixture and could not beryllium separated aft 90 minutes, with the necktie finely poised following a 1-1 draw.

Match preview

The past fewer years person been a turbulent play for Anderlecht, with the 34-time Belgian champions failing to triumph the league rubric since the 2016-17 run and signaling back-to-back fourth-place finishes successful the Belgian top-flight.

That play of underachievement has resulted successful different managerial change, with erstwhile Porto brag Vitor Bruno becoming the 34th imperishable manager successful the club's past and taking complaint of his archetypal competitory lucifer past week.

One of Bruno's biggest challenges volition beryllium replacing the attacking output of Thorgan Hazard, who scored 15 goals for Anderlecht past play earlier returning to erstwhile nine Lens this summer.

The Purple and White person strengthened their squad with the arrivals of Lukas Ambros, Leo Petrot, Joshua Nga Kana and Giulian Biancone, each of whom made their competitory debuts successful the archetypal leg, though those additions person focused chiefly connected defence and midfield alternatively than replacing Hazard successful the last third.

Despite losing their aboriginal vantage successful Sweden, Anderlecht volition consciousness assured heading into Thursday's decisive fixture, with location vantage connected their broadside arsenic they look to advancement to the 3rd and last qualifying round.

However, they person won conscionable 1 of their past 5 matches astatine the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.

Hammarby, meanwhile, get successful Brussels with the payment of being good into their home run and volition anticipation their sharper lucifer fittingness tin assistance them flooded their Belgian opponents.

Bajen reached this signifier of Europa League qualifying aft finishing 2nd successful the Allsvenskan last play and they stay firmly successful contention for different beardown league decorativeness successful 2026.

After 15 matches, Henrik Rydstrom's broadside person recorded 8 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats, collecting 27 points to beryllium 2nd successful the standings, though they stay 11 points down leaders Sirius.

Their antiaircraft organisation has been a large origin down their awesome campaign, with nary broadside successful the Swedish top-flight conceding less than their 15 goals truthful far.

However, their distant signifier remains a interest heading into this decisive fixture.

Hammarby person won conscionable 2 of their 7 Allsvenskan matches connected the roadworthy successful 2026, with lone 5 teams collecting less distant points.

The 2 teams conscionable for conscionable the 2nd clip successful their past aft past week's 1-1 gully successful Sweden.

Anderlecht took the pb aft conscionable six minutes done a stunning Danylo Sikan free-kick earlier Hammarby rescued a gully successful the 89th infinitesimal acknowledgment to subsitute Frank Junior Adjei's equaliser, which arrived soon aft Nathan Saliba was shown a 2nd yellowish card.

Anderlecht Europa League form:

Anderlecht signifier (all competitions):

D W L D W D 

Hammarby Europa League form:

Hammarby signifier (all competitions):

W W W W D D

Team News

As mentioned, Anderlecht volition beryllium without Saliba aft his reddish paper successful the archetypal limb ruled him retired done suspension, with Ambros a imaginable replacement arsenic helium looks acceptable to marque his archetypal commencement since joining from Gornik Zabrze.

Bruno volition besides beryllium without Cedric Hatenboer, Ilay Camara, Killian Sardella and Lucas Hey, who are each unavailable owed to wounded concerns.

Captain Colin Coosemans is expected to proceed successful goal, portion first-leg scorer Sikan should pb the onslaught alongside 19-year-old striker Mihajlo Cvetkovic.

Hammarby person the luxury of being capable to sanction name the aforesaid starting XI from the archetypal leg, with Sourou Kone the lone absentee from their squad aft a genu wounded that has kept him sidelined since April.

Paulos Abraham, who has scored 8 goals this year, volition pb the enactment erstwhile again, with skipper Nahir Besara operating down him.

Anderlecht imaginable starting lineup:

Coosemans; Maamar, Petrot, Biancone, Augustinsson; Llansana, Kana, Ambros, Nga Kana; Sikan, Seke

Hammarby imaginable starting lineup:

Hahn; Skoglund, Fofana, Winther, Persson; Karlsson, Tekie, Lind; Adjei, Besara; Abraham 

We say: Anderlecht 3-1 Hammarby (4-1 aggregate)

With qualification astatine stake, Thursday's 2nd limb could beryllium different intimately contested brushwood betwixt 2 evenly matched sides.

However, Anderlecht's location vantage could beryllium decisive, with the Belgian broadside boasting stronger results connected their ain spot past play portion Hammarby person struggled distant from location successful 2026.

We expect Bruno's broadside to assertion their archetypal competitory triumph nether his absorption and unafraid progression to the adjacent qualifying round.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.