As we’re approaching the second round of the Europa League this Thursday, September 28th, 2017, 24 exciting games are waiting for us. In this preview we would like to take a closer look at three clashes – Plzen welcomes Hapoel Beer Sheva at Doosan Arena, Rosenborg hosts Vardar at Lerkendal Stadion, while Salzburg meets Marseille at Red Bull Arena.
Down below you will find some interesting tips and betting predictions about these three matches, and we hope you’ll find it useful. So, let’s start with the first clash.
PLZEN vs. HAPOEL BEER SHEVA
Three-Way: 1: Plzen +120; X: +265 Draw; 2: Hapoel Beer Sheva +290
Spread -0.5: Plzen +110; Hapoel Beer Sheva -116
Total +2.5: Over -105; Under +100
PLZEN
Viktoria Plzen had a tremendous start to the domestic league campaign with eight wins out of the first eight rounds. They are sitting at the top of the table with a seven-point lead ahead of Sigma Olomouc. However, in the European games, they aren’t playing well. After they’ve been knocked out from the Champions League qualification by the Romanian side FCSB, they’ve lost from the same team in the first round of the Europa League, 3:0.
In that last game against FCSB, Plzen had a great chance in the 19th minute to take the lead, when Milan Petrzela hit the crossbar. Just a minute later FCSB took the lead, and everything went wrong for Viktoria Plzen. They had some chances until the end, but they couldn’t manage to score.
On Thursday night Plzen will meet Hapoel Beer Sheva for the first time in their history, recording three wins and one defeat against Israeli clubs. The striker Michael Krmencik will lead his team as he’s the club’s top goalscorer with eight goals in all competition so far. The midfielder Jan Kopic is another threat with five assists on his account.
The manager Pavel Vrba has a real headache with a lot of injured players among the squad. David Limbersky and Jan Baranek are unavailable, while Roman Hubnik, Ales Cermak, and Vaclav Pilar are still doubtful for the game against Hapoel Beer Sheva.
HAPOEL BEER SHEVA
After a starting win against Lugano in front of the home fans, 2:1, Hapoel Beer Sheva is now traveling to Plzen in the second round of the Europa League. On the other side, they are currently at the sixth spot in a domestic championship with 8 points after the first five rounds, and their 5:5 goal difference is telling us they are struggling at the start of the season.
The striker Anthony Nwakaeme is a team’s top goal scorer with five goals so far in all competitions, while there are some more well-known names in the Hapoel Beer Sheva’s attack – Tomas Pekhart, Mohammad Ghadir and Elyaniv Barda. The winger Maor Melikson is a creative force with seven dishes so far.
The manager Barak Bakhar prefers a 4-3-3 formation with all the talent he has on the front. He doesn’t have serious worries about his starting lineup, as defenders, Miguel Vitor and Ben Bitton are both doubtful due to injuries.
PLZEN vs. HAPOEL BEER SHEVA – Match Prediction
I expect to see a close game as the home team cannot let themselves to lose after a starting defeat, while Hapoel Beer Sheva can sit back and wait for their chance. However, If we get a quick goal at the start of the game, then anything is possible. It is going to be a difficult match to predict, but I’ll bravely put my money on both teams to score, as the purpose of football are goals.
MY PICK: Both teams to score YES (-125)
ROSENBORG vs. VARDAR
Three-Way: 1: Rosenborg -182; X: +375 Draw; 2: Vardar +750
Spread -1: Rosenborg -120; Vardar +120
Total +2.5: Over -110; Under +104
ROSENBORG
In the first round of the Europa League Rosenborg was smashed by Real Sociedad at Anoeta, 4:0. Since then The Troll Children have won both games in a domestic league against Valerenga and Lillestrom with the same result, 3:0. They are sitting at the top of the table with the nine-point lead in front of Sarpsborg 08, seven round before the end of the Eliteserien.
Rosenborg’s best players are in the front. The striker Nicklas Bendtner has scored 14 goals so far, while his colleague Matthias Vilhjalmsson added 15. The winger Milan Jevtovic, who’s playing on loan from Antalyaspor, bagged 12 goals, and this trio is the main threat for opponents’ defenders. The midfielder Mike Jensen is another key player with 13 assists.
The manager Kare Ingebrigtsen can count on all players, as there are no injury worries among the squad. He can field his best eleven, trying to get the first win of this year’s Europa League.
VARDAR
The Macedonian champions Vardar has already surprised their fans, as no one’s expected to see them in a group stage of the Europa League. After some shocking wins in qualification rounds, The Red and Blacks’ debacle in the first round against Zenit was a true awakening, as they’ve lost at home, 5:0. On Thursday night they will meet Rosenborg, searching for the first points of the Europa League campaign.
In a domestic league, Vardar is currently at the third place with 13 points from the first six games. The team’s top goal scorer in all competitions is a 24-year old Armenian Tigran Barseghyan with five goals in 12 games. The Brazilian midfielder Juan Felipe is another key player with three goals and three assists so far.
The manager Cedomir Janevski prefers a 4-5-1 formation, and he mostly reckons on counter attacks. I expect to see the same approach on Thursday, while he can count on all players.
ROSENBORG vs. VARDAR – Match Prediction
Rosenborg is a favorite, according to bookmakers, but God knows who’s going to win this match. It is going to be the first UEFA game between Norwegian and Macedonian clubs.
Vardar can be a tough opponent, and their counter-attacks could be a crucial weapon. Therefore, I suggest you play on goals, as I think both teams can score in this clash.
MY PICK: Both teams to score YES (+112)
SALZBURG vs. MARSEILLE
Three-Way: 1: Salzburg +150; X: +258 Draw; 2: Marseille +213
Spread 0: Salzburg -130; Marseille +127
Total +2.5: Over -110; Under +106
SALZBURG
The Red Bulls are still searching for the right form, as they’ve won only two out of the last six games. They’ve even needed an extra time against Bruck Leitha in the OFB Cup to get a victory. A lot of ups and downs in the last couple of weeks can certainly damage their self-confidence.
In the first round of the Europa League Salzburg earned a point against Vitoria Guimaraes at Estadio D. Afonso Henriques. They were a better team, failing to take advantage of their chances. The 24-year old midfielder Valon Berisha has scored the only goal after Guimaraes took the lead. The manager Marco Rose can’t be satisfied with team’s finishing, as they’ve had 16 shots, just three on target.
Meanwhile, in the domestic league, Munas Dabbur is a top goal scorer, netting five times in nine appearances, adding two more in European games. He also has six assists so far in all competitions. Fredrik Gulbrandsen is another threat at the front, scoring seven times in 17 games. The attacking midfielder Hannes Wolf is a creative force with six assists, while Valon Berisha has four.
Marco Rose will have a lot of issues with the starting lineup, having a real hospital among the squad. Samuel Tetteh, Stefan Stangl, Takumi Minamino, Marc Rzatkowski, Marin Pograncic, Reinhold Yabo, Hee-Chan Hwang, Christoph Leitgeb and Patrick Farkas are all doubtful due to injuries, as Minamino and Pongrancic have the best chance to play on Thursday.
MARSEILLE
After two defeats in a domestic league against Monaco and Rennes, which cause the fans revolt, The Olympians have won three games in a row without conceding. One of those three victories was against Konyaspor at home, 1:0, in the first round of the Europa League, when Marseille was a better team until the leading goal. After they’ve got the lead, there were a lot of problems in their game.
Rudi Garcia’s team isn’t playing convincingly, although there are some great players in the squad. Dimitri Payet, Lucas Ocampos, Florian Thauvin and Luiz Gustavo are all talented players who need to step up if they want to achieve something with this team. At the back Adil Rami is looking like a great reinforcement, as he arrived from Sevilla this summer, scoring a winning goal against Konyaspor after a Payet’s corner kick.
The striker Konstantinos Mitroglou is the only unavailable player due to a muscle injury so that Rudi Garcia can pick up his best eleven for the game against Salzburg.
SALZBURG vs. MARSEILLE – Match Prediction
It is going to be the first official match between these two clubs, and I expect to see a close game. It is also hard to predict who is going to win, while bookmakers noticed the same. Salzburg is a slight favorite, playing at home, but I would avoid predicting a winner.
Maybe it’s better to bet on goals, and I think both teams are capable of scoring, which is why I am taking the over 2.5 goals.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-110)
