Auda vs Jelgava prediction 23.05.2024

• Competition: Virsliga
• Date: Thursday, 23rd May, 2024
• Kickoff: 16:00 UTC +1 / 17:00 CEST
• Venue: Skonto stadions (Riga)

On Thursday afternoon, Auda and Jelgava, two out-of-form teams, will face off in the 15th round of the Latvian Virsliga at Skonto Stadium in Riga.

Auda is coming to this season after one of the best ones in the club's history. They finished third and secured the Europa Conference League qualifiers for only the second time in the club's history. However, this year, they didn't have the best start. They are in 6th place, already 11 points away from the desired 3rd place, and with a game played more than the 3rd-placed Daugavpils. Now, they will face the last-placed Jelgava and try to stop a terrible five-game winless streak. 

Jelgava had massive financial problems in recent years and was forced to move to the second tier of Latvian football in 2021. They managed to recuperate and regained their Virsliga status in the previous year, finishing 6th, nowhere near the relegation zone. However, this year, Jelgava had one of the worst seasons in the club's history, as they are currently 10th with eight points in 14 rounds. They are already four points away from the safe zone, and with a game played more. 

Auda vs Jelgava pick: Under 2.5 goals

Auda is in terrible form, having won only two points in the last five matches while scoring only five goals. To be fair, they are not playing as badly as the results suggest, but they are struggling with the realization. Looking at the xG stats, they have the third-highest in the league but seem to lack quality up front. 

Jelgava are in even worse form, having lost five straight before this one and scoring just three goals - 0.6 per game. However, that is not far from their average this season, considering Jelgava averages only 0.64 per game in the first 14 rounds. 

The first h2h game this season, which took place only about a month and a half ago, ended in a goalless draw. Additionally, four of the last five H2H games ended with fewer than three goals. Considering the previous h2h games and both teams' terrible form, we believe that an under 2.5 goals bet is the safest option for this tie.