Espanyol vs Sporting Gijon tips and predictions: Back hosts to progress from low-scoring tie

Espanyol are one step closer to securing a return to La Liga after Javi Puado’s goal earned them a 1-0 win away to Sporting Gijon in the play-off semi-final first leg.

Espanyol are the most in-form team in Spain’s second division as they ended the regular season with a 16-match unbeaten streak. 

Arguably, the results weren’t as impressive as that statistic in isolation, as they drew 10 of those games and dropped points against weak opposition.

On the other hand, their defence has been impressive. They’ve conceded one goal in six matches, during a 2-1 win against Real Oviedo, and have now kept three clean sheets on the spin.

At home, Espanyol have been in excellent form, losing just one of their last 17 matches. Their most recent defeat came against Getafe in the Copa del Rey. Since then, they have gone 10 games without defeat at home, winning six and drawing four.

Sporting Gijon managed to qualify for the promotion play-off after winning in the last two rounds of the regular season. That winning streak was stopped by Espanyol in the first leg of the playoff, so the team has 3 wins and two losses in their last five games.

In the last away game played by Gijon, they managed a win against Eldense. The game put an end to a series of three games without winning away from home. Before that, they recorded six defeats and one draw.

Despite taking four points from Espanyol this season, ending their unbeaten run at home is a tall order, and we expect the hosts to progress to the final by avoiding defeat.

 

Suggested bets

Match result: Draw

Under 2.5 goals

• Sergiu Baltuta provides tips as SVB Tips on Tipstrr