Preview: St Polten Women vs. Slavia Prague Women - prediction, team news, lineups

As a result, both teams head into matchday three with a six-point gap separating them from the top two of Lyon and Brann.

Match preview

After negotiating qualifying ties against PAOK and Valur, St Polten have been unable to take anything from their first two group matches.

They were beaten 2-1 by Norwegian outfit Brann, before they fell to a 2-0 defeat in their away meeting with record Women's Champions League winners Lyon.

A Danielle van de Donk strike and a Leonarda Balog own goal ensured St Polten returned home empty-handed, leaving them in third place after two rounds of matches.

Liese Brancao-Ribeiro's side have played just one game since their trip to France, claiming a 2-0 win over Altach/Vorderland to send them into the winter break with a five-point lead at the top of the Frauenliga table.

With their domestic league now on a break until March, St Polten's next four fixtures will all take place in the Champions League, beginning with their first meeting with Slavia Prague since taking four points off them in last season's group stage.

While Slavia Prague are looking to claim their first points of the group phase, they are also aiming to score their first goals of the main draw after failing to find the net in their opening two matches.

They began the competition with a demoralising 9-0 home defeat to Lyon, before suffering a narrow loss in their away meeting with Brann on matchday two.

A first-half effort from Brann's Larissa Crummer proved decisive, condemning the Czech First Division champions to a 1-0 defeat, which leaves them bottom of the group due to their inferior goal difference.

Like Wednesday's hosts, Karel Pitak's side have played just one game since their last Champions League outing, cruising to a 9-0 victory over FC Prague in their final league match until March.

They will be fully focused on their midweek trip to Austria, and while they failed to beat St Polten in last season's group stage, they did take a point in the away meeting courtesy of a 1-1 draw.

St Polten Women Women's Champions League form:

St Polten Women form (all competitions):

Slavia Prague Women Women's Champions League form:

W

W

L

L

Slavia Prague Women form (all competitions):

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Team News

The Austrian hosts are unable to call upon the services of defender Adina Hamidovic, who is a long-term injury absentee.

Carina Schluter will start in goal, and she could be shielded by a defensive line of Julia Tabotta, Diana Lemesova, Balog and Ella Touon.

Melanie Brunnthaler is expected to operate as the central striker, with Sarah Mattner-Trembleau and Mateja Zver expected to offer support from out wide.

As for the visitors, they could line up with a back four made up of Gabriela Slajsova, Lucie Bendova, Diana Bartovicova, Michelle Xiao.

Tamara Moravkova may be presented a starting place after featuring as a half-time substitute in Slavia Prague's opening two group games.

Marjolen Nekesa, who scored three goals in the playoff round, is set to be given the responsibility of leading the line for the visitors.

St Polten Women possible starting lineup:

Schluter; Tabotta, Lemesova, Balog, Touon; Mikolajova, Klein, Wenger; Mattner-Trembleau, Zver, Brunnthaler

Slavia Prague Women possible starting lineup:

Lukasova; Slajsova, Bendova, Bartovicova, Xiao; Surnovska, McLaughlin; Moravkova, Cerny, Stackpole; Nekesa!-- TN -->

We say: St Polten Women 1-1 Slavia Prague Women

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