CS U Craiova vs Botoşani: match statistics

CS U Craiova sit 2nd and have won 4 of their last 5 matches, while 11th-placed Botoşani have managed just one win and suffered 3 defeats over the same period. At home, the hosts win 86% of their matches and score an average of 3.14 goals, while the visitors are yet to win away and concede an average of 1.86 goals. Craiova’s advantage is also reflected in the quality of the chances they create: their home xG stands at 2.34, compared with Botoşani’s away xG of 1.06. The hosts allow chances worth an average of 0.86 xG at home and concede just 0.29 goals per match, while Botoşani have conceded 10 goals in their last 5 matches. These differences in attacking efficiency, defensive solidity and recent form all point clearly towards a Craiova win.

The strongest argument for BTTS - No is CS U Craiova’s defensive record: the hosts kept a clean sheet in 67% of their matches and conceded just 0.67 goals on average, while Botoşani scored an average of 1.00 goals away from home. Craiova conceded only 2 goals in their last 5 matches, or 0.4 per game, and the visitors failed to score in 29% of their away matches. The difference in attacking threat is also reflected in shots on target: 5.83 per match for the hosts compared with 2.57 for the visitors. Although both teams scored in 71% of Botoşani’s away matches, Craiova saw BTTS - Yes in only 33% of their home games, making it more likely that at least one team will fail to score.

CS U Craiova average 1.67 goals at home, while Botoşani concede 1.86 away, pointing to at least two goals in the match. The hosts’ advantage is also reflected in xG: they create chances worth an average of 1.82 xG, while the visitors allow opponents chances worth 2.00 xG. In their last five matches, Craiova averaged 2.4 goals scored, while Botoşani averaged 2.0 conceded, although the hosts’ 67% clean-sheet rate limits the projected goal tally for the visitors. Over 1.5 goals is the strongest pick: this line was cleared in 67% of Craiova’s home matches and 86% of Botoşani’s away matches, while Over 2.5 goals landed in 33% and 57%, respectively.

CS U Craiova have won 4 of their last 5 matches and were already leading at the break in 3 of them, while Botoşani have lost 3 of their 5 fixtures. During this run, the hosts averaged 1.0 first-half goals and conceded none before half-time, pointing to an early lead. Their attacking advantage is reflected in an average xG of 1.82 compared with the visitors’ 1.06, as well as 5.83 shots on target per match versus 2.57. Their chances of holding the lead are strengthened by Botoşani conceding an average of 1.29 goals after the break, while Craiova have conceded just 0.17 in that period. A draw at half-time remains a significant alternative, having occurred in 5 of the visitors’ 7 matches; however, the combination of recent results and the hosts’ more effective defense most strongly points to Craiova leading both at half-time and at full-time (HT/FT 1/1).