Grasshopper Zurich are hanging onto their place in the Swiss Super League by their fingernails.
The Zurich-based club have one last shot to preserve their place in the top flight. Will our algorithm predict a Grasshopper’s win in the second leg of the relegation playoffs?
Grasshopper will visit Swiss Challenge League club Thun. The home side finished second in the Challenge league this season. Unlike other top leagues around Europe, the second-place team in the Challenge League does not qualify automatically for the top flight.
Final whistle in the first leg#gc #zurich #gczthu pic.twitter.com/bDEHgdcIEw— Grasshopper Club Zürich (@GCZurich_EN) May 26, 2024
Final whistle in the first leg#gc #zurich #gczthu pic.twitter.com/bDEHgdcIEw
Instead, Thun were forced to place a two-legged promotion/relegation playoff against Grasshopper.
The first was played on Sunday and finished 1-1. Thun looked to have the match wrapped up thanks to a 52nd-minute goal from Marc Gutbub.
However, with time running out, Grasshopper scored in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time thanks to Giotto Morandi.
The goal could turn out to save Grasshopper’s Super League life. However, Thun have 90 minutes and possibly extra time to win promotion to the Super League.
Since 2002, Thun and Grasshopper have met 71 times in all competitions. Remarkably, both teams won 27 times in head-to-head matches.
Meanwhile, the clubs drew 17 times. The goals scored by the clubs were nearly identical. However, Grasshopper edged Thun 97-93.
Grasshopper are one of Switzerland’s most famous clubs. They have won 27 Swiss top-flight titles. However, the Zurich club last claimed a title in 2002-03. Indeed, no team in Switzerland has won more top-flight titles than Grasshopper.
Thun are unbeaten in four straight head-to-head games versus Grasshopper dating back to 2021. Thun claimed two wins and two draws during that time.
The Reds have played in the Challenge League since 2020. Although this is their second time in the last four seasons that Thun have played in the promotion/relegation playoffs.
Grasshopper forward Tsiy-William Ndenge leads the team in scoring with eight Super League goals. The Hoppers scored the second-fewest goals in the Super League with just 35 in 33 games.
Morandi, the hero of the first leg, scored five goals for the club during the regular season. The defence conceded 45 times.
Forward Koro Kone is Thun’s leading goal scorer. The striker tallied 11 goals in the regular season. Daniel Dos Santos added 10 goals to the Reds’ cause.
The season comes down to one final match for both teams. One team will get promoted and one will be relegated.
Our score prediction is for Thun to surprise Grasshopper and achieve promotion thanks to a 1-0 win.