Anderlecht edged the first leg 1:0 in Brussels. The Belgians were more incisive and exploited Häcken’s defensive frailties well. The return leg remains finely poised, but the Swedes now have to take more risks and open up, setting the stage for a potentially high-scoring encounter.
Häcken are going through an inconsistent spell, with just one win from their last four matches. Defensive lapses, particularly against positional attacks, have been a recurring issue. They conceded in Belgium and could easily have let in more. That said, there is attacking talent in the side — Amor Layouni and Srdjan Hrstic offer threat going forward. But structural imbalances remain — the team often loses compactness when defending counter-attacks. At home, Häcken tend to play with aggression, but lack defensive reliability.
Anderlecht come into the match in confident early-season form. They only managed one goal in the first leg, but could and should have scored more — finishing let them down. Their game is built on wing play and pacey transitions. Even when leading, Anderlecht don’t typically sit deep. However, they do have their own defensive vulnerabilities, particularly against quick surges and free kicks and corners.
Häcken will have to chase the game and are likely to push forward from the start, which will leave space for Anderlecht to counter. Both sides are shaky at the back but have the quality to create chances. Given the context of the second leg, an open game seems the most probable scenario.
