Gyor ETO vs AIK
Győr ETO
Győr ETO’s European Ambitions
While Győr is predominantly recognized for the successes of its women’s handball team, the men’s football squad is also striving to make a mark in Europe this season. Under the guidance of Balázs Borbély, the white-greens finished 4th in Hungary last season, securing a spot in the Conference League qualifiers.
Journey Through Conference League Qualifiers
In the current campaign, the hosts have already navigated past Armenian side Pyunik, narrowly avoiding extra time in the decisive home leg with a last-gasp effort (1-2, 3-1 aggregate). Their encounter with Swedish team AIK from Solna began in a similar fashion with an away loss (1-2). Crucially, the Hungarians managed to reduce the deficit against AIK in the final moments, although their opponent scored in the 90th minute from an offside position.
Domestic Form and Team Style
However, their start in the NB I has been somewhat inconsistent. Across three rounds of the Hungarian championship, Győr is yet to secure a victory, registering three draws (3-3 with Paks, 1-1 with Újpest, and a recent 1-1 with Zalaegerszeg, where Győr salvaged a draw within the last 10 minutes). Considering their European matches, the Hungarians have conceded in every game this season (a total of six matches), but they have also scored in every single game, indicating a somewhat adventurous playing style. In terms of squad availability, there are no significant injury concerns, which is typical at the start of the season.
AIK
AIK’s Busy Season and European Progress
AIK is currently in the midst of their season, and the local federation has not granted Mikko Tamminen’s team any postponements during their Conference League qualification campaign. The blue-dark-yellows confidently dispatched Estonian side Paide (2-0, 6-0 aggregate), but at home against Győr, the Swedes let a comfortable lead slip only towards the end of the match.
Tactical Approach and Domestic Standing
Nevertheless, with their more balanced playing style and experience, AIK should pose a significant threat on the counter-attack in the return leg. Prior to this, the Solna-based team played out another goalless draw (0-0) in the Allsvenskan, this time at home against Djurgården. The visitors currently sit in 4th place, but the race for a top-3 finish and European qualification for next season remains tight. Only Ellingsen, due to a leg injury, will be unavailable for the visitors in the second leg.
Match Prediction
In my view, the visitors, AIK, are highly likely to score at least one goal in this match. This is especially true considering that Győr has yet to keep a clean sheet this season, and coach Borbély urgently needs to address the defensive vulnerabilities of his team.
Mark Thompson
