Best odds: 4/5
Bookmaker:
The qualifications for next season s Champions League have reached their second round, and the teams that successfully passed through the first are hoping to hear their names drawn for the group stage. But there is a long way to go yet and most of them won t be there.
Over in Bulgaria, Ludogorets are preparing to take on Shamrock Rovers at the Huvepharma Arena in Razgrad, in what will be the first leg of a double feature as they battle on to reach the next phase.
Ludogorets Razgrad
Ludogorets won the title in the Bulgarian First League in 2021/22 ahead of CSKA Sofia by a margin of 21 points, obviously in vast comfort. The 2022/23 has already begun there, with two rounds played, and Ante Simundza s men lead the way again with a maximum of six points. Chemo More have the same tally in second place, followed by CSKA Sofia and CSKA 1948 with four each.
Prior to the first round of these qualifications, Ludogorets played a pair of international friendlies, losing 3-0 away to Hungarian side Ferencvaros and beating Nurnberg at home by the same score line. After that, they triumphed 2-0 at home over Sutjeska of Montenegro in the first leg of the first round, followed by a First League match away to Septemvri which they won 0-3. Then they completed the double over Sutjeska by winning 0-1 in Montenegro, and eventually beat Lokomotiv Plovdiv at home by 2-0.
Bernard Tekpetey broke the deadlock in that match five minutes after the break, and three minutes before the 90 were up, Cauly Oliveira Souza set the final score.
Team News
Simundza obviously thought about this match as he made a few rotational changes to his team against Lokomotiv. Therefore, Cauly is set to take up his position on the attacking side of midfield from the start, having scored his goal after coming on off the bench that time. The same goes for winger Spas Delev and striker Pieros Sotiriou.
Anton Nedyalkov and Zan Karnicnik are expected to return to their usual posts in defence.
Shamrock Rovers
As for Shamrock, they also lead the way in the League of Ireland Premier Division, and with all teams on 23 matches played, they have an eight-point cushion ahead of Derry City in second place, and nine ahead of Dundalk in third. Like Ludogorets, the Rovers are defending the title they won quite comfortably the last time around, finishing 16 points ahead of St. Patrick Athletic.
Steven Bradley s team can be said to be on a good run of form obviously, but they completed their last-six run ahead of this match with a goalless draw away to Hibernians. Not that it mattered, really, because they had won the first leg of their clash in the first round of these qualifications by 3-0 at home. Apart from that, the run also consists of wins 0-1 away to Cliftonville, 1-0 at home against Bohemians, 1-2 away to St. Patrick s Athletic, and 0-1 away to Finn Harps.
Rory Gaffney bagged the only goal of that match, inside the first-half stoppage time.
Team News
Midfielder Jack Byrne, a product of the Manchester City academy who passed through a number of clubs before joining the Rovers as a free agent at the start of the year, is likely to miss out as he recovers from a calf injury. The same goes for Neil Farrugia, who is struggling with a muscular issue too.
Apart from those two, Bradley has the remainder of the squad at his disposal. Midfielder Ronan Finn, who opened the scoring in the first leg against Hiberians, is set to captain the side again. Dylan Watts will likely be by his side, with Rory Gaffney starting upfront, as the pair scored the remaining two goals against the Scottish side.
Conclusion
This should be an interesting contest between two teams of similar quality. Whoever passes through this round will surely consider it a notable success, but the first leg is likely to be narrowly won by Ludogorets, with the advantage of the home soil playing its part, but there shouldn t be too many goals.
Verdict: Total goals under 2.5
Best odds: 4/5
Bookmaker:
