Europa League First Qualifying Round 2nd Leg
Europa League
With the return of domestic football around the corner, the European competitions are already underway.
The first qualifying round of the Europa League kicked off last week and there are a number of ties involving British and Irish sides that are very much hanging in the balance heading into their second legs. Hard work done for Hibs.
Hibernian to win and both teams to score @ 2.60
Hibernian look well on their way to the second qualifying round after a 6-1 win at Easter Road, with Faroes Islands’ outfit Runavik providing little opposition.
A trip to Svangaskard on Thursday is unlikely to intimidate Neil Lennon’s side but, as they showed last week when 5-0 up, they are hardly infallible in defence.
Another slip-up at the back could be possible, although it should be a largely comfortable night in Toftir. Clever Kenny to see the Lilywhites through
Dundalk to win to zero @ 2.45
Dundalk made the group stages of this competition in 2016-17, having only narrowly missed out on the Champions League.
Stephen Kenny has had to somewhat rebuild his team having lost a number of his stars to clubs across the Irish Sea in recent years but last week’s 1-0 win in Estonia against FCI Levadia bodes well.
It was a tight game in Tallinn and more of the same is expected at Oriel Park.
Kenny is a canny coach though and can guide his side through to the second qualifying round. Coleraine can upset the odds
Coleraine to win @ 4.55
Those spying the value in this market should look no further than Coleraine who head into the home game of their clash with Spartak Subotica at 1-1.
All looked good in the closing stages in Novi Sad, only for the Serbs to equalise with a penalty deep in stoppage time.
Coleraine have never got beyond this stage in Europe and despite the odds being against them, the Bannsiders’ performance last week shows they can cause an upset. Molde may prove too much for Glenavon.
Molde to win to zero @ 1.64
Glenavon produced a brilliant performance to beat Molde 2-1 at home last week but it could be a different story in Norway.
After going behind at Mourneview Park, goals from Rhys Marshall and Josh Daniels gave them their first European win since 1996.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Molde reached the round of 32 in 2015-16, topping a tough group involving Celtic, Ajax and Fenerbahce, before going out to eventual champions Sevilla.
Their squad is packed with internationals and they are too good to look past on home soil at the Aker Stadion. No luck elsewhere for home sides.
Unfortunately, it could also be a tale of woe for some of the other British and Irish teams, with two-goal deficits likely to prove too much for Derry and Connah’s Quay away against the Belarusian duo of Dinamo Minsk and Shakhtyor Soligorsk respectively.
Shamrock Rovers and Cliftonville have more of a chance, with only one goal to make up in their ties but the experience of AIK and Nordsjaelland, especially on home turf, should prove too much.
