Sheriff vs Anderlecht

Recent Domestic Form and Title Aspirations

Tiraspol’s Sheriff has been unable to reclaim the Moldovan championship title for two consecutive years, narrowly missing out at the final stretch. Last season, the ‘dark yellows’ finished just one point behind Milsami. This year, Viktor Mikhailov’s squad is once again striving to secure the title. However, after eight rounds, while Sheriff currently leads, they are only two points ahead of Petrocub, who also have a game in hand.

European Campaign and Pre-Match Preparation

Currently, their focus is shifting away from European competitions, as a 0-3 defeat to Anderlecht in Brussels leaves the Moldovans, with their diverse squad, with little hope of progression. Their only aim now is to play for club honor and potentially add a few more points to their European coefficient. Prior to their trip to the Belgian capital, Sheriff secured a convincing 3-0 victory against Politehnica UTM, thanks to a strong first-half performance, which somewhat boosted their morale ahead of the return leg against Anderlecht. The hosts reportedly have no squad issues for the match against the Brussels side.

First Leg Performance and Defensive Concerns

Besnik Hasi’s team, with Hasi returning to helm Anderlecht this year, secured a rather confident 3-0 victory over their opponent. However, defensively, they didn’t perform optimally against the Tiraspol side, conceding 0.96 xG. The Moldovans failed to capitalize on these vulnerabilities, but last weekend, Anderlecht suffered a surprising 2-3 home defeat against newly promoted Jupiler League side Zulte Waregem. This loss highlights the fact that the Belgian side’s defense is currently performing poorly.

Domestic Setback and Squad Rotation

Waregem consistently took the lead and ultimately sealed the win against the ‘Purple & Whites’ in the 94th minute. Such a defeat is certainly unwelcome, especially considering Anderlecht’s objective for a strong domestic league performance. I am confident that, given their tight schedule and the comfortable first-leg result, Hasi will opt for squad rotation in Chisinau. Only Sardella is expected to miss the match against Sheriff due to a hamstring injury.