Qarabag Vs Zurich
Qarabag Vs Zurich Tuesday, 19 July 2022 – 17:00 (BST)
UEFA Champions League Qualification
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals
Odds: 8/11
Bookmaker: Boylesports
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 17 July 2022)
Preview: The respective league champions of Azerbaijan and Switzerland meet inside Azersun Arena, in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the first leg of this UEFA Champions League second qualifying round encounter between hosts Qarabag and their guests, FC Zurich.
UEFA Champions League Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Qarabag – Formidable home record commands respect?
In 2017, Qarabag would become the first, and thus far only, representative of Azerbaijan to feature in the group stage of the Champions League. That among eight consecutive group stage appearances in UEFA competitions. They were eliminated in the Round of 16 of last season’s inaugural Europa Conference League, but finished 2021-22 with a respectable record in Europe, qualifiers included, of seven wins from 14 (D4 L3).
Gurban Gurbanov and his team merit a fair amount of respect therefore. Even more so after their performance in this season’s UCL first qualifying round. Turning around a 1-0 deficit in Poland to thrash Lech Poznan 5-1 in Baku, sealing progression via a 5-2 aggregate scoreline. Thus peserving their undefeated home run in UEFA qualifiers, going unbeaten in seven such matches (W4 D3) since losing to APOEL in 2019.
Key Stat: Since the 2015-16 season, Qarabag have recorded 18 clean sheets from 24 home games in UEFA qualifying rounds, winning to nil 12 times during this period.
Zurich – Swiss champs keen to atone for weekend capitulation?
Last season will live long in the memory for supporters. After 13 years without a Swiss top division title, FC Zurich would finally got their hands on the trophy – their 13th Swiss Super League success in all. A feat made all the more impressive by the margin of dominance exerted on their rivals, accumulating 14 points more than second placed FC Basel as well as winning four more matches on the road than anybody else.
That latter achievement seems relevant now as they set out to secure a positive outcome that leaves them well placed ahead of the return leg in Zurich. However, preparations haven’t exactly been smooth. Having lost their final pre-season friendly 3-2 to Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart, former Austrian men’s team manager Franco Foda saw his new team heavily beaten 4-0 at Young Boys in Saturday’s season opener.
Key Stat: The Swiss side are playing their first game in Europe for more than three years. Their away record abroad reads one win – a 1-0 scoreline in Cyprus against AEK Larnaca – in their last 11 such matches (D3 L7) going back to 2014.
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Qarabag Vs FC Zurich Betting Advice
In line with UEFA’s Coefficients, which ranks each European league based on how teams perform across all UEFA club competitions, the Swiss Super League comes in at 14 – nestled in between Belgium’s Pro League and Greece’s Super League. Meanwhile Azerbaijan’s Premier League ranks 26th, with the likes of Romania and Hungary for company. So there is a fair degree of discrepancy between the respective leagues.
Qarabag Vs Zurich – Key Facts:
- The sides have never met before in a competitive setting but did contest a club friendly in January 2015. Played at a neutral location, the final score was 1-1.
- Qarabag should be the team in the groove after emerging from their UCL First Qualifying Round tie versus Lech Poznan 5-2 victors. They comfortably won the home leg 5-1, despite conceding the game’s first goal inside 60 seconds.
- Under 2.5 Goals has delivered a winning bet in 10 of 16 prior Qarabag European home qualifying games, and in each of the last six when FC Zurich were away from home.
Consequently, one would anticipate the team hailing from the supposedly superior league prevailing over two legs. Working against said team, however, is a lack of recent experience in continental football, something Qarabag boast in abundance. I’m expecting a tight first leg. Qarabag’s three home qualifiers in 2021-22 saw a combined two goals, while going back further, 10 of the last 16 went Under 2.5 for goals.
Best Betting Odds – Qarabag Vs FC Zurich
Qarabag – 23/20 (WilliamHill)
Draw – 23/10 (BetVictor)
Zurich – 11/4 (Boylesports)
