Preview: Sint-Truiden vs Omonia - prediction, team news, lineups

Sint-Truiden and Omonia face each other in the first leg of their Europa League playoff round tie on Thursday evening.

While the winner of this tie will earn a spot in the League Phase, the loser will drop down into the main stage of the Conference League.

Match preview

After what was viewed as a surprise third-placed finish in Belgium's top flight in 2025-26, Sint-Truiden are preparing to make the jump up to continental football.

In the previous campaign, STVV had to come through the relegation playoffs to remain in the division, that near-miss emphasising how far they have come since the summer of 2025.

The goal now will be to find a way to remain among Belgium's elite, Sint-Truiden perhaps recognising that the likes of Club Brugge and Union SG are a level above them.

Frederic De Meyer has witnessed his team start this campaign with successive draws against Lommel SK and Cercle Brugge.

When considering that they also failed to win any of their final three pre-season games versus Al-Jazira, Helmond and AEK Athens, STVV are certainly not in the greatest shape heading into this contest.

As far as Omonia are concerned, coming through a tight third qualifying round tie with Lincoln Red Imps has guaranteed a third successive League Phase campaign in the Conference League as a bare minimum.

On both occasions, the Cypriot outfit reached the knockout playoff phase being elimination, but it highlighted that this is a club whose ambitions are growing by the year.

Edging out Lincoln Red Imps 2-1 on aggregate has provided Omonia with the chance to make their first appearance in the main phase of the Europa League since 2022-23, where they lost all six games to Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sheriff Tiraspol.

Winners of last season's Cypriot top flight, Henning Berg's side have conceded just two goals in four European fixtures this season.

Sint-Truiden form (all competitions):

Omonia form (all competitions):

Team News

With STVV having lead Cercle Brugge before he made 87th-minute substitutions, De Meyer may select the same starting lineup.

Central midfielder Ryan Merlen netted twice in that fixture, already having just one fewer goal than he scored in nearly 1,000 minutes of football in 2025-26.

Despite failing to score in his opening two top-flight starts, 20-year-old starlet Frederic Soelle Soelle will hope to keep his spot in the team.

Minimal changes are also likely with the Omonia XI, with the well-travelled new signing Lois Diony expected to start in attack after netting his first goal for the club versus Lincoln Red Imps.

If an alteration is made, Greece international Anastasios Chatzigiovanis, who had five goals and four assists in the league in 2025-26, would likely return on the left flank.

Sint-Truiden possible starting lineup:

Kokubo; Hata, Mbe Soh, Musliu, Pupe; Sissako, Ishiwatari; Vanwesemael, Merlen, Sebaoui; Soelle Soelle

Omonia possible starting lineup:

Fabiano; Nego, Coulibaly, Panagiotou, Balkovec; Maric, Andreou; Costa, Tankovic, Montnor; Diony

We say: Sint-Truiden 1-1 Omonia

With STVV having posted successive draws and Omonia having participated in four tight games in Europe so far, everything points to this contest being competitive. That leads us to predict a low-scoring draw that may suit both clubs, leaving everything to play for ahead of the second leg.

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