Gent – West Ham United

The first match between the teams will be quite productive

Despite the fact that the Conference League is a specific European tournament, West Ham are considered by bookmakers to be the main favourites to win the title since the group stage. In the group stage, the Hammers swept all their opponents out of the way, not allowing a single point in their matches against Anderlecht, Silkeborg and Steaua. In the 1/8 finals, the London side continued their winning streak, scoring six unanswered goals against AEK Larnaca in two games. In return, Gent barely escaped the group stage. The Belgian quartet was of such a calibre that it was beaten by Sweden's Djurgården. Gent were one point ahead of Norway's Moulde and they beat Qarabag in the 1/16 final on penalties. In the last round, the Belgians outclassed Turkey's Başakşehir with a 4-1 away win when Orban scored three goals in three minutes. In the first leg of the encounter, bookmakers have picked West Ham as favourites, offering odds of 2.12 to win. There is a reason why Gent have been struggling to overcome their opponents in the Conference League. Despite all the diligence, this club was at the level of the Belgian championship fifth, and approximately the same has remained. Gent currently occupy a shaky fourth position, sixteen points behind the leading Genk. However, the hosts in the upcoming match are now experiencing one of their best stretches of the season. They come into the match against the London club on a seven-match unbeaten streak, which includes two European Cup fixtures. Despite the difference in class between the opponents, such deep promotion to the Conference League and good playing form motivates the Gent players to play with confidence against the English. West Ham are currently 14th in the Premier League, with one match to spare, but only three points ahead of the relegation zone clubs. Two full days after their trip to Belgium, the Hammers face league-leading Arsenal, which is unlikely to allow them to perform at their best on Thursday. The teams are likely to be battling almost evenly, with chances of goals for both hosts and visitors.