FC Twente will hope to pick up their first win of their Europa League campaign when they host Union SG in their fifth match in the competition on Thursday at De Grolsch Veste.
The Dutch side are 27th in the Europa League table with three points and drew 2-2 with Nice on November 7, while their opponents drew 1-1 with Roma on the same date but are 30th in the table with two points.
Match preview
© Imago
The hosts' game against Nice was a match of late drama given three goals were scored and both sides received one red card each in the final 30 minutes.
However, the Eredivisie team will be bitterly disappointed by the draw considering they were leading 2-0 and played 20 minutes of the second half with a player advantage.
Twente have drawn three of their four games in the tournament this season, with Lazio's 2-0 win on October 24 their only defeat.
The Reds are currently fifth in the Dutch top flight and have 25 points from 13 outings, but boss Joseph Oosting may be disappointed by the fact his side are averaging slightly less than the 2.03 points per game they managed last term.
Oosting's side are in good form having won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five games, though they have failed to achieve victory in any of their 12 most recent Europa League matches, drawing nine.
The hosts have been difficult to beat at home considering they have been defeated just two times in their past 19 outings at De Grolsch Veste, but it should be noted that they have drawn five and lost one of their past nine home fixtures.
© Imago
As for the visitors, they are ninth in the Belgian top flight with 20 points from 15 games, though they are just two points from sixth-placed Gent, who occupy the final championship playoff spot.
USG created just one big chance against Roma during their stalemate but they produced 14 shots compared to their opponents' 11 while also limiting the Italian side to just one big chance.
Manager Sebastien Pocognoli will be concerned by his players' showing in the final third given they have scored one or fewer goals in eight of their last 10 games, failing to find the back of the net three times in that period.
Pocognoli's side are unbeaten in their five most recent fixtures, but they have lost three, drawn three and won just one of their past seven Europa League games.
USG have been poor away from home for some time, with the Belgian club triumphant in just one of their last 12 matches on the road, losing five and being held to a draw on six occasions.
- L
- W
- D
- D
- W
- D
Team News
© Imago
The hosts will be without right-back Bart van Rooij, who is suspended as a result of his red card against Nice, so expect Oosting to start a back four of Max Bruns, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Alec Van Hoorenbeeck and Anass Salah-Eddine.
Winger Younes Taha is not scheduled to return from a broken leg until February next year and in his absence Daan Rots and Sayfallah Ltaief could flank striker Sam Lammers.
Youri Regeer may start in an advanced midfield position behind Lammers, with Gijs Besselink and Mathias Kjolo protecting the defence in a double pivot.
Union SG have a largely healthy squad, but will be unable to call upon wing-back Henok Teklab, who has been ruled out due to a broken leg.
Kevin Mac Allister and Ousseynou Niang may be fielded either side of centre-backs Ross Sykes, Christian Burgess and Koki Machida.
Elsewhere, wide players Alessio Castro-Montes, Guillaume Francois and Mamadou Traore are doubts, so perhaps Pocognoli will select a front two featuring Franjo Ivanovic and Mohammed Fuseini.
FC Twente possible starting lineup:
Tyton; Bruns, Lagerbielke, Van Hoorenbeeck, Salah-Eddine; Besselink, Kjolo; Rots, Regeer, Ltaief; Lammers
Union SG possible starting lineup:
Moris; Sykes, Burgess, Machida; Mac Allister, Khalaili, Vanhoutte, Sadiki, Niang; Ivanovic, Fuseini
We say: FC Twente 1-1 Union SG
FC Twente have so far failed to impress in the Europa League, and they may struggle to hold onto a lead should they score first.
While the visitors managed to earn a valuable point against Roma, they have been poor on the road this season and it would be surprising if they overcame their difficulties on Thursday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
