MACCABI TEL AVIV v HAJDUK SPLIT
Thursday 18th August 2016 – Kickoff: 1900hrs
Football – Europe – Europa League Betting Tips
Maccabi Tel Aviv have made a solid start to their new season as they’ve been involved in the Tota Cup Ligat Al on the domestic front in Israel, but their attentions now turn to their important first leg clash in the Champions League play-offs against Hajduk Split tonight.
The venue is their Winner Stadium in Tel-Aviv and the hosts have been in good early form as they currently top their Toto Cup Group 2 having won three of their four games so far – the hosts have also enjoyed an impressive run in the Champions League qualifying phase too.
Previous round wins over Gorica 4-0 on aggregate, Kairat 3-2 and Pandurii Targu Jiu 5-2 on aggregate have demonstrated their dominance at this level, and they’ve won six of their last seven matches in this competition. They’ve also won six of their last eight at home in the Champions League.
Hajduk Split have also made a good start to their new Croatian 1.HNL campaign as they sit in third place in the top flight, just three points adrift of league leaders Dinamo Zagreb. Hajduk’s away performances have been particularly worthy of note as they’ve won twice and drawn once so far with wins at Cibalia and Split, along with a draw at Osijek.
Hajduk progressed through to the play-off stage of the Champions League with previous round wins over Romanian outfit CSM Iasi 4-3 on aggregate and a 6-1 aggregate win over Ukraine side Oleksandria.
However, Hajduk Split will have their work cut out to get anything in Israel this evening I fancy, and I’ll back the hosts to emerge from this first leg with a lead to take over to Croatia next week.
Pick: Maccabi Tel Aviv to win @ 1.60 Bwin
