APOEL v ASTANA
Thursday 23rd August 2018 – Kickoff: 2000hrs
Football – Europe – Europa League Betting Tips
Cypriot outfit APOEL will have first bite of the cherry as the hosts hold home advantage in their first leg against Kazakhstan club Astana with betting tips continuing in midweek.
APOEL entered the Europa League at the second qualifying round stage as they dropped out of the Champions League qualifiers following a 3-2 defeat on aggregate to Lithuanian club Suduva. However, this may well suit APOEL as they’ve progressed through to the play-off stage of this competition, and now have a real chance of making it through to the group phase.
Wins over Estonian club Flora 5-2 on aggregate and a 5-3 win over Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva means they’re now almost there. The hosts also boast a pretty good record at home in Europa League ties as they’ve won seven of their last nine, which includes notable wins against Astana (in 2016), Young Boys, Olympiakos and Athletic Bilbao.
Astana are another side who have dropped out of Champions League reckoning following their third qualifying round 3-0 loss on aggregate to Dinamo Zagreb, but they too have a chance of making it to the lucrative group stage of the Europa League.
Confidence may not be as high as they’d have wanted ahead of this crucial first leg though as they come into this clash without a win from their last four matches following draws away at Midtjylland in the Champions League as well as a draw at Aktobe in the domestic Premier League.
In addition, they lost both legs (home and away ) to Dinamo Zagreb, while they’ve won just twice in their last nine Europa League ties away from home.
APOEL therefore look a pretty good bet to edge a lead here and my betting tips suggest backing the home side with the handicap.
Pick: APOEL AH-0.25 @ 1.72 Bet Victor
