Crusaders FC vs Ballymena United: prediction and stats
PremiershipRegular Season - 27Kick-off on January 30, 2027 at 03:00 PM (UTC)Seaview, Belfast
The Footlab model makes Ballymena United the favourite at 39%, against 26% for a draw and 35% for Crusaders FC. The most likely score is 1-1.
This model is measured at 53.9% 1X2 accuracy on a temporal hold-out, against 33.3% for random guessing. See the measured accuracy
Probabilities recomputed on Aug 27, 2026. The full match card is recomputed continuously until kick-off.
Who will win Crusaders FC vs Ballymena United?
A very open match: only 24 Elo points separate Crusaders FC (1,458) and Ballymena United (1,482).
What is the recent form of both teams?
Over their last 15 matches in all competitions, Crusaders FC have 10 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats; Ballymena United have 7, 3 and 5.
The competition is shown for every match: in pre-season, several of these games are friendlies.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2026 | Portadown(home) | 3-2 | Premiership |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Ballymena United(home) | 2-1 | Premiership |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Cliftonville FC(away) | 1-2 | Premiership |
| Aug 1, 2026 | Dundela(home) | 2-0 | Friendlies Clubs |
| Jul 28, 2026 | Newington Youth(home) | 1-1 | Friendlies Clubs |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Glentoran(home) | 0-2 | Premiership |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Crusaders FC(away) | 1-2 | Premiership |
| Aug 8, 2026 | Linfield(away) | 3-0 | Premiership |
| Aug 1, 2026 | Glenavon FC(away) | 1-1 | Friendlies Clubs |
| Aug 1, 2026 | Annagh United(away) | 2-2 | Friendlies Clubs |
What does the head-to-head say?
Across the last 6 meetings: 3 Crusaders FC win(s), 2 draw(s), 1 Ballymena United win(s).
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | Crusaders FC 2-1 Ballymena United | Premiership |
| Apr 25, 2026 | Crusaders FC 3-2 Ballymena United | Premiership |
| Feb 17, 2026 | Ballymena United 2-0 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Nov 22, 2025 | Ballymena United 2-2 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Sep 20, 2025 | Crusaders FC 1-1 Ballymena United | Premiership |
| Feb 15, 2025 | Crusaders FC 3-1 Ballymena United | Premiership |
Last archived meeting: Crusaders FC vs Ballymena United on Aug 15, 2026
How many goals should we expect?
Crusaders FC score 1.9 and concede 1.0 goals per match over their last 15; Ballymena United score 2.3 and concede 1.3. The model gives a 58% probability of over 2.5 goals and 61% for both teams to score.
| Club | Goals scored / match | Goals conceded / match | Clean sheets | Both teams scored | Over 2.5 goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crusaders FC | 1.9 | 1.0 | 6 | 9/15 | 9/15 |
| Ballymena United | 2.3 | 1.3 | 4 | 10/15 | 11/15 |
Over the last 15 matches in all competitions.
Where do both teams sit in the table?
Crusaders FC sit 4th in Premiership (6 points from 3 matches) and Ballymena United sit 8th (3 points from 3 matches).
| # | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Crusaders FC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | Ballymena United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Verdict, probable XI and verified absences
The full match card recomputes this prediction continuously until kick-off: multi-market verdict, player-by-player probable XI and web-verified absences.
Open the full match card in the app
No odds, no affiliation: the method is published and the accuracy is measured.
How does Footlab compute this prediction?
The model combines both teams' Elo ratings (anchored by competition pool), their recent form weighted by opponent strength, home advantage and a Poisson matrix for scorelines. Its accuracy is measured continuously on the predictions actually published. Methodology and measured accuracy
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the favourite for Crusaders FC vs Ballymena United?
- The Footlab model makes Ballymena United the favourite at 39%, against 26% for a draw and 35% for Crusaders FC.
- Where and when is Crusaders FC vs Ballymena United played?
- Crusaders FC vs Ballymena United is played on January 30, 2027 at 03:00 PM (UTC) at Seaview, in the Premiership.
- Will there be over 2.5 goals?
- The Footlab model gives a 58% probability of at least three goals in this match.
- How reliable is this prediction?
- The Footlab model is measured at 53.9% correct 1X2 outcomes on a temporal hold-out, against 33.3% for random guessing. The breakdown by competition and Elo gap is published on the accuracy page.