PAOK Eye Comeback as Anderlecht Defend Narrow Lead

UEFA Europa League  -  Anderlecht VS PAOK Saloniki
Match Time:14-08-2026 02:30 Friday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips

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Anderlecht and PAOK will meet again in the second leg of their Europa League third-round qualifier, with Anderlecht holding a narrow advantage from the first match. The winner will move closer to the league phase and face either Kairat Almaty or Levski Sofia in the playoffs.

Team Analysis:

Anderlecht took an early lead in Thessaloniki and held on for a valuable first-leg win, extending their strong start under Vitor Bruno. PAOK now face a difficult task in Belgium, needing a comeback to keep their hopes of reaching the Europa League league phase alive.

Player Situation:

Anderlecht will rely on in-form striker Mihajlo Cvetkovic, who has scored in both Europa League qualifiers, although several players remain doubtful or unavailable. PAOK could again be without Taha Ali, with Taison likely to support the attack while Giannis Konstantelias and Andrija Zivkovic provide key attacking threats.

Result Prediction:

PAOK controlled possession and created more chances in the first leg but failed to score, leaving them 1-0 down despite their dominance. Anderlecht have shown solid form recently, though their lead is still fragile and PAOK have a real chance to turn the tie around.

Predicted Result: Anderlecht 1-2 PAOK.