The second round of the UEFA Europa League group stage sets off this week. In this preview, we feature a pair of Group B fixtures and a Group F faceoff. How would these matches turn out? Read on as we analyze each team’s chances of getting the crucial win.
Dynamo Kyiv would like to score maximum points once more as they face Partizan Belgrade on the road, while Skenderbeu would want to clinch their first points in this stage, going up against Young Boys at Elbasan Arena. Finally, Sheriff Tiraspol and FC København aim to break the standoff in their group as they battle at the Sheriff Stadium.
FK PARTIZAN vs. FC DYNAMO KYIV
3-Way: 1: FK Partizan +300; X: +250 Draw; 2: FC Dynamo Kyiv +124
Spread +0.5: FK Partizan -123; FC Dynamo Kyiv +112
Total +2: Over -137; Under +123
FK PARTIZAN
FK Partizan has traded wins and draws in their last five matches, prevailing over Mladost Lučani, 3:0, Radnicki Nis, 3:1, and Rad, 4:2, at the Serbian SuperLiga, while settling for 1:1 deadlocks with Young Boys in the first matchday of the Europa League and Napredak at the Serbian top flight. They accumulated 11 points in their last five domestic league fixtures, their 23-point total is five below Red Star Belgrade’s table-topping 28.
Partizan is one of the regulars of the UEFA Europa League, having participated in five stagings, seven if including the UEFA Cup. However, they also have committed an infamy, tying for the fewest goals scored in a single campaign: one, which was done in the 2014-15 edition. They have drawn three of their last four European games, their only win was the play-off round-clinching 4:0 blasting of Videoton in the away leg.
FC DYNAMO KYIV
The winning streak of FC Dynamo Kyiv in all competitions was stopped by a 0:0 draw with newly promoted side NK Veres Rivne at the Ukranian Premier League. Their last loss was via forfeiture, giving another newly promoted club in FC Mariupol a bloodless 3:0 scoreline after they failed to show up on their scheduled match on August 27 for security reasons.
From then, they went on to overcome FC Oleksandriya, 3:0, and Olimpik Donetsk, 2:1, in the domestic league, while defeating Skënderbeu Korçë at the UEFA Europa League group stage in between the two aforementioned matches. In the last five games they played, which includes a 3:1 victory over Marítimo in the second leg of the play-off round, they have a form of DWWWW.
The same as their opponents, Dynamo Kiev have competed in this level five times already. Despite their recent success, they have scored just once in their last six UEFA away fixtures (D4, L2).
FK PARTIZAN vs. FC DYNAMO KYIV – Match Prediction
The two have a shared history together, as back at the 1976-77 European Cup, Dynamo beat FKP, 5:0 on aggregate. Will the Ukrainian club be able to make a repeat? At the moment, the Ukrainian side has the slight edge and I will pick them to win.
MY PICK: FC Dynamo Kyiv to win (+124)
FC SHERIFF TIRASPOL vs. FC COPENHAGEN
3-Way: 1: FC Sheriff Tiraspol +320; X: +250 Draw; 2: FC Copenhagen +124
Spread +0.5: FC Sheriff Tiraspol -114; FC Copenhagen +112
Total +2: Over -114; Under +106
FC SHERIFF TIRASPOL vs. FC COPENHAGEN
FC Sheriff Tiraspol continues to stay unbeaten at the Divizia Naționala, winning against Zaria Balți, 2:0, and Dacia Chisinau, 6:3, in their last two contests since returning home from a 0:0 draw with Fastav Zlín. With that, they have maintained their grasp of the top of the table with 29 out of a possible 33 points.
This gives them a form of WWDWW, their only blemish was the said deadlock in the first match of the UEFA Europa League group stage, their third consecutive successive UEFA competition draws as well.
FC COPENHAGEN
FC Copenhagen went on to win their next three games after matching Lokomotiv Moskva to a 0:0 draw on September 15. They had 4:0 clean sheets against Helsingør and Silkeborg at the Danish Superliga, and in between, scalped Skive, 3:0, at the Danish DBU Cup. Including their 4:3 victory over Midtjylland after the international break earlier this month, they have a form of WWWDW in all competitions. Having amassed 64 points after 26 league matches, they are comfortably ahead on top of the table with second place Brøndby 12 points behind.
København has been in this competition five times in club history. They have lost three of last four European away fixtures.
Against Silkeborg IF, Benjamin Verbic scored two goals on three on-target attempts, while also creating three chances. Ján Greguš had five chances created, 68 passes completed, and 14 final third passes successful, while Denis Vavro put together 59 completed passes in that match. Goalkeeper Robin Olsen was credited with a clean sheet for his and his teammates’ effort.
FC SHERIFF TIRASPOL vs. FC COPENHAGEN – Match Prediction
This is the first time men’s senior squads from either country would face each other. Aside from that, this matchup features two powerhouses in their respective domestic hierarchies. Both would also like to break away in a group that has all teams tied with a point and on GD. Which camp would make an impression in this encounter? Or will we have another draw? I think that the draw is the most realistic option here.
MY PICK: Draw (+250)
SKENDERBEU KORCE vs. BSC YOUNG BOYS
3-Way: 1: KF Skenderbeu Korce +450; X: +296 Draw; 2: BSC Young Boys -119
Spread +0.5: KF Skenderbeu Korce +124; BSC Young Boys -133
Total +2.5: Over -105; Under +100
SKENDERBEU KORCE
KF Skenderbeu Korce would like to make up for their loss against Dynamo Kiev as they face YB at home. Since their first Europa League group stage match, they drew with recently promoted club Kamza, 1:1, before proceeding to hurdle Partizani, 2:0, at the Albanian Superliga. Prior to that, they blanked Mamurrasi, 8:0, at the Albanian Cup before scoring a clean sheet on Flamurtari, 2:0, in the domestic league. Everything put together, they have a form of WDLWW. The Ujqerit e Debores are currently at first place of the Albanian top flight table with seven points, the same as defending champion Kukesi, but having scored more goals.
Skenderbeu is one of three clubs to progress to the group stage from the first qualifying round this term. In the first round, they played against UE Sant Julia, defeating them 1:0 at home and 5:0 in Andorra. Next, they beat Kazakhstan outfit Kairat with a 3:1 aggregate. Then, they bested Czech Republic side Mladá Boleslav, 4:2 on penalties. For the play-0ff round, they drew a familiar nemesis in Dinamo Zagreb, this time prevailing over the Croatian club via away goals, in order to reach the group stage. They are unbeaten in four European home games this term.
BSC YOUNG BOYS
BSC Young Boys is on a roll in Switzerland but were only good for a 1:1 draw against the Parni Valjak in the first group stage match of the Europa League. Looking at their form, they have only conceded one goal in the last three Swiss Super League matches, all wins. They also got past BSC Old Boys, 4:0, at the Swiss Cup. They are currently at first on the table with 20 points after nine skirmishes.
Young Boys of Bern are five-time participants at the Europa League. They share the record for the highest scoring group stage match with eight goals, them scoring three of the eight goals against Liverpool on September 20, 2012. In that season, they had ten points in the group stage but was not able to advance to the next round, tying for the record of most points in the group stage without going through. They have gone ten European away games without a victory to show.
Jean-Pierre Nsamé had an assist against FC Sion on September 24, while Kevin Mbabu took a clean sheet in that contest where his club won, 1:0. They are two of the players with the best form, both domestic and club competition taken into account, according to the official UEFA Europa League website.
SKENDERBEU KORCE vs. BSC YOUNG BOYS – Match Prediction
These two camps are dominating in their respective levels of competition, but we would like to see them play in the next level. For them to do so, they both need to score maximum points. Right now, Skenderbeu Korce has the slight edge based on trends, but I will stick with the over and expect a lot of goals.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-105)
