Preview: LNZ Cherkasy vs Gent - prediction, team news, lineups

LNZ Cherkasy and Gent meet at Orlen Stadion on Thursday evening in the first leg of their Conference League second qualifying round tie.

Both clubs enter the competition at this stage, with the winners advancing to face either IFK Goteborg or Levadia in the third qualifying round.

Match preview

LNZ Cherkasy are preparing for the biggest match in the club's history after qualifying for European competition for the first time by finishing second in the 2025-26 Ukrainian Premier League.

Founded in 2006 and relocated to Cherkasy in 2021, LNZ have enjoyed a rapid rise through the Ukrainian football pyramid, earning promotion to the top flight in 2023 before securing a historic runners-up finish just three seasons later.

Vitaliy Ponomaryov's side will begin their new campaign with this European fixture, having used a busy pre-season schedule to prepare for their continental debut, as the Ukrainians won four of their seven friendly matches during the summer.

They also carry an encouraging competitive home record into Thursday's contest, having gone unbeaten in their last five home matches, recording two wins and three draws.

Home advantage could prove crucial in such an evenly balanced tie, with LNZ knowing that a positive result would give them confidence before travelling to Belgium for next week's decisive second leg.

Gent, meanwhile, return to European competition after a one-season absence following their fifth-place finish in the Belgian Pro League Championship Playoffs last term.

The Buffalos have become regular participants in UEFA competitions in recent years, reaching the league or group stage in six of the previous seven seasons, and they possess considerably more continental experience than their Ukrainian opponents.

Although Gent narrowly missed out on Europe a year ago, they have consistently negotiated this stage of the competition in recent campaigns, having comfortably overcame Vikingur Reykjavik 7-1 on aggregate in 2024-25, Zilina 10-3 on aggregate in 2023-24 and Valerenga 4-2 on aggregate in 2021-22.

However, this will also be Gent's first competitive fixture of the new season, meaning both teams enter the contest without recent domestic action, which could produce a cautious opening encounter.

LNZ Cherkasy club friendlies form:

Gent club friendlies form:

Team News

LNZ have received a boost ahead of their historic European debut, with no fresh injury or suspension concerns reported among their UEFA squad.

Summer arrivals Danylo Kravchuk, Muharrem Jashari and Tedi Cara are all available after being included in the club's Conference League squad, while Yehor Tverdokhlib is expected to be one of the hosts' main creative threats after an impressive domestic campaign.

Gent are without some first-team players for the trip, as defender Matisse Samoise is sidelined with a long-term knee injury, while Maksim Paskotsi is unavailable because of a muscle injury.

Those absences could hand opportunities to other squad members in defence, although the Belgian club are unlikely to make many surprises in their first competitive match of the new campaign.

LNZ Cherkasy possible starting lineup:

Palamarchuk; Kuzyk, Didyk, Gorin, Drambaev; Jashari, Nonikashvili; Tverdokhlib, Talles Brener, Cara; Kravchuk

Gent possible starting lineup:

Roef; Watanabe, Torunarigha, Lopes, Brown; Gandelman, Delorge, Ito; Sonko, Gudjohnsen, Goore

We say: LNZ Cherkasy 1-2 Gent

LNZ's home form and the occasion of their first-ever European match should make them difficult opponents, but Gent's superior quality, greater experience in UEFA competition and proven record in Conference League qualifying ties could prove decisive.

The Belgian side may have to cope without a few injured players, but they still possess enough attacking quality to take a narrow first-leg advantage back to Ghent.

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