Europa Conference League: five top tips with progress at stake

The first qualifying round of the 2022/23 Europa Conference League concludes this week, with 30 spots in the second round up for grabs. Here are our top tips for Thursday’s action.

Europa FC vs Vikingur

Thursday 14 July, 4pm

This tie is finely balanced at the midway point following Vikingur’s 1-0 victory last time out. The appropriately named Europa will be quietly confident of turning things around on home soil, but their Faroese opponents will look to nick a goal on the counter-attack to extend their aggregate advantage.

This could be another low-scoring affair but home advantage plays into Europa’s hands. Vikingur may have to settle for extra time at best.

Recommended bet: Europa to win @ 2.6

Paide Linnameeskond vs Dinamo Tbilisi

Thursday 14 July, 5pm

This tie produced the most entertaining of last week’s first legs, as Paide Linnameeskond edged out Dinamo Tbilisi in a five-goal thriller. That was a fantastic result for the Estonian side, but they will know the job is not done yet – and a price of just 1.67 shows our traders still fancy Dinamo to triumph here.

There is better value to be found elsewhere, though, namely in backing both teams to score and over 2.5 goals. That is what happened last week and it can happen again in the second leg, with Dinamo needing to come out and score and Paide unlikely to try and sit on their lead.

Recommended bet: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals @ 1.96

Riga vs Derry City

Thursday 14 July, 6pm

Last Thursday was a comfortable evening for Riga, as goals from Gabriel Ramos and Oleksandr Filippov gave them a 2-0 victory in Ireland. That leaves Derry City on the verge of elimination from the Europa Conference Liga, and it is hard to see a way back for them from here.

Riga will be even stronger on home turf and they are unlikely to allow Derry back into the match. Their focus will be on keeping things tight at the back and ensuring this tie does not come alive again. Another clean sheet for the Latvian outfit is a distinct possibility.

Derry could find Riga a tough nut to crack

Recommended bet: Riga to keep a clean sheet @ 2.1

Sligo Rovers vs Bala Town

Thursday 14 July, 7pm

Bala Town got off to a dream start last time out, as Lassana Mendes fired them in front with just six minutes on the clock. But Sligo did well to recover from that early setback, turning the game on its head and leaving Wales with a 2-1 victory.

The Irish team are now the overwhelming favourites to advance, and they will look to put the game beyond Bala in the first half of the second leg. Holding an advantage at half-time could be enough to kill off their opponents’ hopes.

Recommended bet: Sligo Rovers winning at half-time @ 2.1

Crusaders vs Bruno’s Magpies

Thursday 14 July, 8pm

In the first leg, Crusaders suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Bruno’s Magpies, a tiny team from Gibraltar. The Northern Irish outfit conceded either side of half-time and would have left themselves with a mountain to climb had Jordan Forsythe not found the back of the net shortly after the hour mark.

Crusaders will still be confident of getting through, though. The Magpies will find things much tougher in Belfast, where the home team will look to make a fast start to cancel out the deficit as quickly as possible.

Recommended bet: Crusaders to qualify @ 1.6

Recommended bets

Europa @ 2.6

Riga clean sheet @ 2.1

PL- Tbilisi BTTS & Over 2.5 @ 1.96

Sligo HT @ 2.1

Crusaders qualify @ 1.6