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Tuesday's Champions League predictions including Breidablik vs. Shamrock Rovers

sportsmole.co.uk, 18 July 2023, 05:00
Struga vs. Zalgiris (Tuesday, 4.00pm)

Struga will be hoping to make the most of their home-field advantage when they welcome FK Zalgiris to Stadion Biljanini Izvori for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League first round of qualifiers on Tuesday evening.

The hosts are the underdogs going into this crucial encounter, having never qualified for the competition in the past, while the visitors reached the third round of qualification last season but were knocked out by FK Bodo/Glimt.

We say: Struga 0-1 FK Zalgiris

While Struga managed to hold on to a draw in the first leg, they were noticeably outplayed for the majority of the match, and they will likely be on the defensive for much of this match as well. At home, the hosts should put on a good showing, but we feel that the visitors will just edge past them by a single goal.

Flora vs. Rakow (Tuesday, 6.00pm)

Following a close-fought first leg in Poland, Champions League hopefuls Flora and Rakow Czestochowa reconvene in Tallinn on Tuesday, when they conclude their first qualifying round tie.

Rakow lead by a goal following last week's home win, and while the Polish champions are ultimately aiming at a place in the group stage, their Estonian counterparts could still snatch a place in the second round.

We say: Flora 1-2 Rakow Czestochowa (Rakow win 3-1 on aggregate)

Though Rakow were dominant during the first leg, they failed to fully capitalise on their supremacy and still have work to do in Tuesday's return. Nonetheless, they can control events in Tallinn too, and another win would seal progress to the second qualifying stage.

Sheriff Tiraspol vs. SSC Farul (Tuesday, 6.00pm)

Sheriff Tiraspol will be looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the second leg of their Champions League first round qualifier when they take on SSC Farul at the Bolshaya Sportivnaya Arena on Tuesday.

The hosts are no strangers to the continental club competitions, having participated in these qualifiers in each of the last 20 seasons, while the visitors are aiming to make it to the main draw at the first time of asking.

We say: Sheriff Tiraspol 2-0 SSC Farul

While the hosts lost the first leg, they dominated almost every aspect of the match except for the scoreline. Having had a full week to assess where they went wrong in that match, we expect Bordin's men to bounce back in style here and secure their qualification to round two.

Maccabi Haifa vs. Hamrun Spartans (Tuesday, 6.00pm)

Ultimately aiming for another shot at the Champions League group stage, Maccabi Haifa continue their qualification campaign for the 2023-24 edition on Tuesday, when they host Hamrun Spartans at Sammy Ofer Stadium.

After beating Italian giants Juventus last year, Haifa have ambitions of being one of the of 32 teams to battle it out again this autumn; and after taking in a four-goal lead in last week's first leg, they already have one foot in the second qualifying round.

We say: Maccabi Haifa 2-0 Hamrun Spartans (Maccabi Haifa win 6-0 on aggregate)

Following trouble both in the stands and on the pitch last week, Hamrun are likely to experience more of the latter when they reconvene with Maccabi Haifa in Israel. While their hosts may take the opportunity to rotate their resources and experiment, there is still a gulf in class between the two sides which surely cannot be bridged.

New Saints vs. Hacken (Tuesday, 7.00pm)

Hacken will be aiming to hold onto their 3-1 lead when they take on The New Saints in the second leg of their Champions League first-round qualifying tie on Tuesday.

The Swedish Allsvenskan and domestic cup champions proved too strong for their opponents at Bravida Arena last week.

We say: The New Saints 1-2 Hacken

New Saints are regularly found out at this level of European football, and although we expect them to keep things close in this second leg, the visitors should have too much quality for them in the end.

Hacken are flying high towards the top of their domestic table once again having recently lifted the Swedish Cup, and they will have their sights firmly set on reaching the group stage of this competition for the first time in their history.

Zrinjski Mostar vs. Urartu (Tuesday, 7.00pm)

Zrinjski Mostar will be aiming to hold onto their 1-0 lead against Urartu when the two sides meet in the second leg of their Champions League first-round qualifying tie on Tuesday.

Matej Senic scored the winner with only a minute of normal time remaining at Urartu Stadium in Armenia last week, making his side overwhelming favourites to progress to the next stage.

We say: Zrinjski Mostar 1-0 Urartu

There was very little to split these two sides in Armenia last week prior to Senic's dramatic late winner, which has put the tie firmly in his side's own hands.

The visitors will have to show more offensive bravery than they managed in the first leg, but we can envisage the hosts doubling their lead in the tie at some stage, before successfully holding onto it.

BATE vs. Partizani Tirana (Tuesday, 7.00pm)

BATE Borisov and Partizani Tirana will battle it out for a place in the second round of Champions League qualifying when they face off in Tuesday's second leg.

The first-round qualifying tie remains finely poised after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the Albanian capital last week.

We say: BATE Borisov 2-1 Partizani Tirana

After the first leg produced a closely-fought contest, we expect more of the same in Tuesday's fixture, but after progressing from their last three first-round ties in Champions League qualifying, we think that BATE will edge out Partizani to squeeze through to the next stage.

Breidablik vs. Shamrock (Tuesday, 8.15pm)

The reigning League of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers will travel to Iceland for the second leg of their Champions League first-round qualifying tie against Breidablik.

The Icelandic side will enter Tuesday's contest with a slender advantage after winning 1-0 in the Republic of Ireland last week.

We say: Breidablik 1-1 Shamrock Rovers (Breidablik to win 2-1 on aggregate)

After coming up short in the first leg, we expect Shamrock Rovers to produce a battling performance in Iceland, but with just two wins from their last 14 European away games, we think that they will be held to a draw, which would secure Breidablik a place in the second qualifying round.

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