Preview: Auda vs FCSB - prediction, team news, lineups

Latvian side Auda will welcome Romanian club FCSB to Riga for Thursday's Conference League second round qualifying tie.

The hosts head into the second leg with a narrow advantage after claiming a 3-2 victory in Romania last week. 

Match preview

Auda are competing in Conference League qualifying for the fourth consecutive season after winning the Latvian Football Cup last term.

Their best performance in qualifying took place in the 2024-25 campaign, when they navigated two rounds before they were beaten by Drita in the third qualifying round.

Entering at the second-round stage this time around, Auda know they need to negotiate three ties if they are to reach the main draw of a European competition for the first time in their history.

They certainly made a positive start to their European campaign, taking the lead on three separate occasions to seal a precious 3-2 victory in last Thursday's away leg against FCSB.

Kader Kone netted a dramatic winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give his side a slender advantage ahead of Thursday's second leg, with the hosts knowing they simply have to avoid defeat to set up a third-round qualifying tie against Aluminij or Dinamo City.

Jurgis Kalns's side have managed to avoid defeat in five of their last six competitive home games, including a 1-0 success in Sunday's league clash against BFC Daugavpils.

FCSB are a club with significant European pedigree, largely due to their success in the late 80s when they lifted the European Cup in 1986 and finished runners-up to AC Milan just three years later. 

In the modern day, FCSB spent the last two seasons competing in the Europa League league phase, but an underwhelming 2025-26 campaign has sent them into the preliminary stages of the Conference League.

After finishing in eighth place in the league, FCSB had to negotiate one-legged ties against Botosani and rivals Dinamo Bucharest to secure some form of European football for the 2026-27 campaign.

However, the Romanian giants face a battle to prolong their European journey following last Thursday's defeat, a result that represented Marius Baciu's first defeat since taking over the reins in May. 

FCSB at least managed to bounce back with a 2-0 away win in Sunday's Superliga clash against Csikszereda.

That victory followed a 2-0 success against FC Arges on the opening weekend of the season, so they know they can defend better than they did in the first leg against Auda.

Auda Conference League form:

Auda form (all competitions):

FCSB Conference League form:

FCSB form (all competitions):

Team News

The hosts are expected to line up with a back four made up of Tin Hrvoj, Moussa Ouedraogo, Ariel Arroyo and Oskars Rubenis.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Kader Kone will lead the Auda line after finding the net in his last two starts.

The Ivorian forward will be joined in the front three by Eduards Daskevics and Barthelemy Diedhiou. 

As for FCSB, they are unable to call upon Siyabonga Ngezana, Mihai Popescu, Ofri Arad and David Miculescu due to injury.

Valentin Cretu is pushing for starting spots after featuring as a half-time substitute in the first leg.

Daniel Birligea is expected to get the nod up front, although Baciu can also call upon youngster Alexandru Stoian. 

Auda possible starting lineup:

Purins; Hrvoj, Ouedraogo, Arroyo, Rubenis; Ibrahim, Traore, Bongemba; Daskevics, Diedhiou, Kone

FCSB possible starting lineup:

Tarnovanu; Cretu, Dawa, Duarte, Padurariu; Cisotti, Radunovic; Boutoutaou, Popescu, Birligea

We say: Auda 1-1 FCSB (Auda to win 4-3 on aggregate)

Auda will feel they have done the hard work by winning in Romania, and while they will be wary of an FCSB response, we think the hosts, who have lost just one of their last six home games, will do enough to protect their first-leg advantage with a draw. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.