Spartak Trnava Vs Newtown
Spartak Trnava Vs Newtown Thursday, 21 July 2022 – 19:30 (BST)
UEFA Europa Conference League
Pick: Spartak Trnava Win To Nil
Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 19 July 2022)
Preview: With no goal scored in all but one of six European away games in their history, Wales’ Newtown AFC have their work cut out getting any joy from this Spartak Trnava defence breached once across their past five European outings at City Arena Trnava.
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Successive third place finishes in Slovakia’s Fortuna Liga ensured a fourth consecutive spell in Europe for Spartak Trnava, who would reach the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2018-19. They would collect six points across three home games, recording narrow victories over Anderlecht and Fenerbahce. With those among five wins across their last eight European home games, drawing 0-0 the last twice.
Scoring the goals needed to establish a healthy first-leg lead could prove an arduous undertaking once more. Last season’s total of 36 goals in 32 Fortuna Liga fixtures was easily the lowest among the top four, with their games seeing on average fewer than two goals (1.66 per game, rising only slightly when at home to 1.81). On the flip side, a defence which yielded a meagre 17 should hold up well in Europe.
Key Stat: Spartak Trnava have recorded a clean sheet in six of their past eight European home games. Dinamo Zagreb (in a 2-1 win) were the only team to score more than once in an away fixture against the Slovakians in the latter’s last 18 home matches in Europe.
Newtown – Momentum with the Welsh after first round heroics?
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Newtown AFC of the Welsh Cymru Premier would go on to produce a minor upset in the previous round as they eliminated HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands. A 2-1 win on the artificial pitch of Latham Park had seen the team that finished third domestically in 2021-22 – their highest league finish for 24 seasons – turn the tie around, sealing a thrilling comeback by winning 4-2 on penalties.
Victory in Wales marked only a third ever win in Europe for The Robins, who have now won 33% of matches played in Wales in UEFA competition (W2 D1 L3). Away from home has been an entirely different story though. Newtown have only ever managed the one win on their travels in Europe, that in Malta in 2015, losing without scoring in all but one of six contests. Beaten 1-0 in the Faroe Islands in the previous round.
Key Stat: The Welsh side failed to manage a single attempt on target, from only three shots in the game, in their 1-0 loss away to HB Torshavn in the first qualifying round.
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While there is a very clear gap between the sides in terms of quality – the Slovakian top tier is ranked 30th according to UEFA’s club coefficients, that 20 places higher than the Welsh Cymru Premier that Newtown finished third in last season – I do have my doubts that this will be accurately reflected in the final scoreline here. A home win and under 2.5 goals stands out at 15/8, with Spartak Trnava not at all prolific usually.
Spartak Trnava Vs Newtown – Key Facts:
- Whereas Spartak Trnava posses a wealth of experience competing in Europe, Newtown AFC are preparing for only their 13th fixture in UEFA club competition. The latter are so far W3 D1 L8 ahead of visiting Slovakia for the first time in a competitive setting.
- No team gave up fewer goals during the 2021-22 Slovakian Fortuna Liga than Spartak Trnava (17 conceded in 32 games), who, across their last five European home games, conceded only once.
- Newtown could therefore be in for another long evening in front of goal. In their six previous away encounters in Europe, the Welsh side would muster only two goals – both coming in their sole away win, a 2-1 scoreline in Malta versus Valletta in 2015.
In their last 13 European home games, Trnava – unbeaten across the last five said matches (W3 D2) – would score no more than once on ten occasions. Four of the last five produced a clean sheet, which isn’t all that surprising for a defence that was the meanest in Slovakia last term. Meanwhile, Newtown rarely provide a goalscoring threat away from home, failing to score in all but one of their six such games in Europe.
Spartak Trnava – 2/13
Draw – 5/1
Newtown – 12/1
(All odds taken from Betfair)
