CFR Cluj – Lugano

In the second half, the opponents will score at least one goal between them.

In the last three years, CFR Cluj has somewhat lost its position on the Romanian football scene. Before that, the team became champions five times in a row, and in recent seasons qualified for European competitions through high places in the championship or by winning the national cup, as they did last year. In the Romanian league, Cluj finished second behind FCSB, and in the final of the Romanian Cup, they beat Hermannstadt. The last two European campaigns ended for CFR at the qualification stage, which does not reflect well on the team's level. Lugano is far from the leading positions in Switzerland. The last time this club became the champion of its country was in the late 1940s. However, Lugano can be considered an experienced team in terms of performing in European competitions. For instance, in the last edition of the Conference League, the Swiss team ended up in the Round of 16 after a real football shootout with Ciele. In the current Europa League campaign, Lugano qualified from the fourth place of last season's championship, lagging significantly behind Young Boys, Servette, and Basel. Bookmakers have identified the home team as the favourites for the second leg, offering odds of 2.31 for their victory. CFR Cluj has already played seven official matches in the current season. After losing the Romanian Supercup to FCSB, the team did not start well in the national championship. However, Cluj confidently overcame the first qualifying round of the Europa League. The away match against Paks ended in a 0-0 draw, and at home, they convincingly demonstrated their superiority over the opponent - 3-0. The first match against Lugano in Switzerland was characterised by cautious defence. Cluj, from the very beginning, ceded the ball to the opponent but defended effectively, allowing only one shot on target throughout the match. For the return leg, both opponents prepared so intensively that they both lost to mediocre rivals in their home grounds in the national championships. Bookmakers expect a similarly cautious game in the return leg as was seen in Cluj. However, towards the end of the match, there is a high probability that the score will not satisfy one of the opponents, and the second half will lead to an open, high-scoring game.