Preview: Anderlecht vs. Young Boys - prediction, team news, lineups

Thursday's hosts picked up a narrow 1-0 victory in Switzerland last week but will see their slender lead come under threat on their return to Lotto Park.

Match preview

After a third-placed finish in their domestic top-flight and a penalty shootout defeat to Gent in the Belgian Cup final under the management of Vincent Kompany, Anderlecht entered Conference League qualifying in the third round.

With Felice Mazzu now in the hot seat following Kompany's summer departure, their continental campaign began with a contest against Paide, and they quickly took control in the away leg, finishing with a 2-0 lead at the halfway stage of the tie thanks to goals from Lior Refaelov and Fabio Silva.

They would then see out a dominant aggregate win with a 3-0 beating of the Estonian outfit in Belgium, as Silva was again on the scoresheet before Michael Murillo netted a brace, booking their playoff tie with Young Boys.

Following a 3-0 win over Sint-Truiden in their domestic top flight, the Purple & White travelled to Bern for the first leg last week, and they now head into their home game with a slender lead, as Hannes Delcroix hit the only goal of the game around the hour mark.

Now rested after a break from league action at the weekend, with Mazzu's men sat fourth with nine points from four games, they will aim to complete the job on Thursday and progress to the group stage with another victory.

That is certainly not guaranteed, though, as Young Boys arrive hoping to overturn the slender deficit and advance themselves with an away win.

The visitors' qualifying campaign began against Liepaja in the second round, and, after a 4-0 aggregate win, they would meet KuPS and take a 2-0 lead into the home leg thanks to goals from Jean-Pierre Nsame and Meschak Elia.

Raphael Wicky's side would then cruise into the playoff round courtesy of a 3-0 home win, with Nsame starring with a brace alongside a goal from Vincent Sierro, and the Bern outfit built further momentum with a league win over Servette by the same margin heading into the first leg of their clash with Anderlecht.

Having fallen just short in that game, and now on the back of a confidence-boosting 10-1 thrashing of Schoenberg in the Swiss Cup, in which Nsame hit a hat-trick and Joel Monteiro chipped in with a brace, Young Boys make the trip to Belgium keen to turn the tie on its head and progress into Europe's tertiary competition after their early exit from the Champions League group stage last time around.

Anderlecht Europa Conference League form:

Anderlecht form (all competitions):

Young Boys Europa Conference League form:

Young Boys form (all competitions):

Team News

Anderlecht could remain without key midfielder Lior Refaelov, after the 36-year-old missed last week's first leg through injury.

Fabio Silva will continue to lead the line, having already scored five goals and provided two assists in league and Conference League action following his loan arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers, while fellow prospect Sebastiano Esposito will also be vying for a starting berth after making an appearance off the bench in Switzerland.

Elsewhere, Yari Verschaeren will offer support to the front line from a midfield three, while Michael Murillo also poses an attacking threat in a right wing-back role, with Hannes Delcroix set to operate at the heart of a back three alongside Wesley Hoedt and Zeno Debast.

Young Boys should call Jean-Pierre Nsame back into their starting XI on Thursday, after he was reduced to a substitute appearance in the first leg, with the Swiss Cup hat-trick last time out taking his tally to eight goals for the season alongside three assists.

There are doubts over whether Meschak Elia will be fit to feature, meaning Nsame will likely join former Rangers attacker Cedric Itten with additional support from midfielders like Fabian Rieder and Vincent Sierro.

Mohamed Camara and Cedric Zesiger should continue their partnership in the middle of the defensive unit, with Aurele Amenda likely settling for a place on the bench.

Anderlecht possible starting lineup:

Van Crombrugge; Debast, Delcroix, Hoedt; Murillo, Trebel, Arnstad, Amuzu; Verschaeren; Esposito, Silva

Young Boys possible starting lineup:

Von Ballmoos; Blum, Camara, Zesiger, Lafort; Niasse; Sierro, Rrudhani; Rieder; Itten, Nsame

We say: Anderlecht 2-1 Young Boys (Anderlecht win 3-1 on aggregate)

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