AZ vs Viktoria Plzen Betting Tip Under 2.5 goals – 26 August 2020

AZ vs Viktoria Plzen
26 August 1530hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League
Pick Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Unibet
Odds: 49/50 odds taken 2000 GMT, Tuesday 25 August

AZ will be hoping to overcome this being their first game in over five months and progress to the third qualifying round at the expense of Viktoria Plzen.

Bet at Unibet

 

 

AZ Preview – Can AZ avoid any upsets and keep their Champions League ambition alive?

With the Dutch league unable to be completed a decision was taking to award European places courtesy of their league placing at the time meaning AZ enter Champions League qualification at this stage even though they were level on points with Ajax at the time. It’s more difficult than it may have have been had they been first at the time but it’s a chance for them to compete in the group stage for just the second time in their history.

Louis van Gaal is the last coach to lead AZ to the group stages of the Champions League back in 2009 but has left for Bayern before the season began.

 

AZ do have recent experience in European football, however, being regular participants in the Europa League. They made it through their group last season only to lose out 3-1 on aggregate to LASK in the round of 32. That was a campaign that seen them thump Astana and draw with Partizan and Manchester United in their home games of the group stage.

If AZ are to make it all the way to the group stage then the goals and performances of Oussama Idrissi and Myron Boadu will be crucial. The duo combined for 27 goals in the league last season and a further nine in European competition.

Viktoria Plzen Preview – Are Plzen good enough to build on their impressive 2019/20 campaign and get past hosts?

Viktoria Plzen have had to sit and suffer in the last couple of seasons as Slavia Prague have become the dominant force in Czech football – winning the last two titles. Plzen have won five of the last nine, however, meaning they have plenty of experience of these qualifying rounds and Champions League football more generally. And that’s one of the reasons why their second place finish sees them in with a chance of playing in the competition this season.

Plzen’s last appearance in the group stages of the Champions League in 2018 where they were finished third in a group containing Real Madrid and Roma.

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Unlike their opponents tomorrow, Plzen’s domestic season has already kicked off and they have made a strong start with a 3-1 win at home to Opava on Friday night. That was their eighth straight win at home but their form on the road is much more variable meaning they will be somewhat frustrated with this tie only being one leg.

One man who will be especially determined to help his team see off AZ is Ondrej Mihalik who was on loan at Viktoria from AZ last season only to make his move permanent this summer.

 

Whilst both teams have plenty of threat going forward it’s their defences which are arguably their biggest strengths. AZ have kept clean sheets in nine of their 13 home games last season whilst eight of Viktoria Plzen’s last 11 away games have went under 2.5 goals. That suggests another close encounter tomorrow and as such I’m backing for there to be two or fewer goals in the match. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the game requires extra time or penalties, either.