Shamrock Rovers v Apollon
Thursday 25th July 2000hrs
Football – Europe – Europa League Qualification
Pick Apollon draw no bet
Bookmaker Ladbrokes
Odds: 11/10 (odds taken 11.00 GMT, Wednesday 24 July)Shamro
 |
1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/4 | 21/10 | 5/4 |
* (Betting Odds were taken from 22Bet on July 24, 2019 at 15.00)
Shamrock Rovers are the sole Irish representative left in the Europa League and face a realistic opportunity to reach the next stage when taking on Cypriot side Apollon.
Europa League Qualification Betting at Ladbrokes
Shamrock Rovers – Can Rovers continue flying the Irish flag in Europa League?
Rovers have had a couple of near misses in the past couple of years in this competition which would have made their victory of Brann in the last round all that sweeter. It wasn’t a tie they were expected to win but two brave performances seen them overcome the Norwegians. A 2-2 draw away from home in the first leg was an excellent result. And the 94th minute equalizer from Roberto Lopes was so crucial. Stephen Bradley’s team were able to finish the job off in style by winning the home leg 2-1. They were made to work for it, though, going a goal down. Two strikes for the hosts in the last 15 minutes secured their place in this round.
They are looking to make it into the third qualifiying round for the first time since 2011 – when they reached the group stage for the first time.
Apollon Preview – Will Cypriots build on commanding first round win and take a result back home with them?
Apollon have reached the group stages of the Europa League in two of the last three seasons. The Cypriots have shown great consistency in that time and will have aspirations of doing similar again this time around. They were slightly unfortunate not to make it into the knockout phase for the first time in 2018/19, finishing two points behind second placed Lazio. Considering it was a group that also contained Marseille and eventual semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt, it was a strong showing.
Head coach Sofronis Avgousti has been the mastermind this recent success, both domestically and in Europe. Since taking over in 2016, Apollon have finished second in their domestic league, won the cup and also reached another cup final. On top of the strides they have made in Europe, Avgousti is likely to be in demand in the near future.
Key-Facts – Shamrock Rovers v Apollon
- The Irish Premier League club produced an excellent performance to get past Norwegians Brann in the last round
- Apollon were far too strong for Lithuanian outfit Kauno Zalgiris in the first round – winning 6-0 on aggregate
- Rovers have won just three of their last 14 home games in the Europa League, dating back to 2002
Shamrock Rovers v Apollon Betting Advice
Considering some of the other teams that Shamrock Rovers could have drawn, this is definitely one of the more favourable ties. That said, it’s still going to be a huge test for them to make it beyond this stage. Apollon come into this as favourites for both the first leg and tie in general and that’s only right considering their recent exploits in European football.
There’s no question that Apollon are stronger at home than on their travels but they have taken some good results on the road of late. The standout one was the 3-1 victory in Marseille but the 2-0 success in Lithuania was also a signal of how professional and mature this time can be.
With Rovers struggling for wins in this competition and the visitors proving they are an improving force, I expect Apollon to get a positive result in this game. The home team will take a lot of belief from their success against Brann, though, and it would be sensible to err on the side of caution by taking the draw no bet as some insurance.
