Universitatea Craiova vs KuPS - prediction, team news, lineups

Universitatea Craiova invited KuPS to the Standionul Ion Oblemenco connected Thursday evening for the 2nd limb of their UEFA Europa League 3rd qualifying circular tie.

Following a archetypal fractional Stefan Baiaram strike, Keltamusta’s Jaime Jose Moreno Ciorciari netted successful the 2nd play of last week’s archetypal leg to acceptable up a victor takes each clash successful Craiova.

Match preview

Limiting KuPS to conscionable 1 changeable connected people implicit the people of the encounter, Univ Craiova volition beryllium disappointed to person not taken a pb from the distant leg, but volition inactive beryllium assured of progressing from the tie.

Although the nine person lone made it further than the 3rd qualifying circular connected 4 anterior occasions, Filipe Coelho’s men person been the astir palmy broadside successful Alb-albastrii’s caller history, earning a archetypal Superliga rubric for 35 years past season, which they volition beryllium anxious to travel up with information successful the main Europa League campaign.

However, with conscionable 1 triumph successful their erstwhile six matches, a play which included elimination from the Champions League qualification stages, Univ Craiova person endured a dilatory commencement to their 2025-26 run and presently beryllium sixth successful the league array with six points, 3 down array toppers FC Arges aft lone 4 matches.

If they are to rectify their caller woes and surpass a European qualification signifier for the 2nd clip successful arsenic galore seasons, beating Istanbul Basaksehir to publication their spot successful the Conference League past year, Alb-albastrii volition person to marque past connected Thursday evening by overcoming Finnish absorption for the archetypal time.

Following a hard contention past week successful which they were starved of large chances, KuPS volition beryllium thankful that Moreno Ciorciari’s header midway done the 2nd fractional keeps them firmly successful the combat for Europa League qualification heading into their travel to Craiova.

Despite entering the competition’s qualification signifier successful 5 of the erstwhile 8 campaigns, Keltamusta are inactive yet to beforehand to the tourney finals, but aft consecutive league triumphs the Finnish outfit volition beryllium progressively assured that they tin capable that void this season.

Although they dropped points astatine location to a struggling TPS Turku broadside connected Sunday afternoon, Miika Nuutinen’s men are unbeaten successful their erstwhile 13 Veikkausliiga matches, putting them apical of the array with 40 points and needing lone 4 much to assertion a 3rd successive title.

Having not recorded a triumph successful immoderate of their erstwhile 3 encounters with Romanian sides, KuPS volition beryllium hoping that they tin reflector their caller home occurrence connected the continent and physique connected their maiden European qualification achieved successful past season’s Conference League.

Universitatea Craiova European form:

Universitatea Craiova signifier (all competitions):

KuPS European form:

KuPS signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Univ Craiova proceed to beryllium without goalkeeper Pavlo Isenko and midfielder Alexandru Iamandache who person some been vacant for a agelong play with genu injuries.

Although it is expected that the hosts volition enactment up with a akin broadside to the 1 that started the archetypal leg, it would beryllium nary astonishment to spot striker Assad Al Hamlawi fixed the motion pursuing a instrumentality from wounded past week.

After serving a 1 lucifer league suspension against TPS Turku, Ghanian guardant Bob Armah is expected to diagnostic from the commencement for KuPS erstwhile again, completing a frontline that volition astir surely dwell of some Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba and Moreno Ciorciari too.

However, having some missed Sunday's clash, determination is inactive nary motion of an imminent instrumentality for either Samuel Pasanen oregon Jerry Voutilainen successful the Keltamusta midfield.

Universitatea Craiova imaginable starting lineup:

Popescu; Rus, Stevanovic, Screciu; Mora, Cicaldau, Mekvabishvili, Bancu; Etim, Al Hamlawi, Baiaram

KuPS imaginable starting lineup:

Riihimaki; Puukko, Magassa, Adams, Antwi; Gasc, Jyry, Touray; Luyeye-Lutumba, Moreno Ciorciari, Armah

We say: Universitatea Craiova 2-0 KuPS

Whilst they person enjoyed acold much occurrence than their absorption successful caller league endeavours, KuPS surely spell into Thursday's bout arsenic underdogs to advancement from the tie.

The Finnish broadside did good to combat backmost aft falling down past week, nevertheless we deliberation Univ Craiova volition person excessively overmuch prime successful guardant areas for Miika Nuutinen's men this clip astir and publication their spot successful the last round.

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