Kuban Krasnodar and Valencia will look to salvage their respective Europa League tournaments when they face off on Thursday.
Both clubs got off to less than stellar starts in their tournament matches. Valencia, which was seen as a group favorite heading into the first game against Swansea City, was trounced 3-0 at home by the English side. Meanwhile, the Russian team was no match for Switzerland's St. Gallen, losing 2-0 on the road.
The winner of this game has the potential to jump back into a top spot in the group. While many would argue that it is still early in the tournament, a loss here for either team would be crippling. If Swansea and St. Gallen tie in their match, then the winner would be one point out of first with a double header against one of the other sides. The loser, meanwhile, would be four points out of first and would need to win both of its upcoming games and hope for some good fortune in the other matchups to have any chance at a top two finish. The situation is even more complicated when a victory in the Swansea-St. Gallen matchup is considered. One team would have six points, while the winner of this game would jump into a tie for second place. The loser would be in a greater state of peril with first place further out of reach.
Prediction: The Spanish side has struggled but will find its touch in a 2-1 win.
Start Time: 12 p.m. EST
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