St Josephs V Rangers Betting Tips: Rangers & Over 3.5 – 9 July 2019

St Josephs V Rangers

Tuesday 9 July 2019 – 16:55 Kick-Off
UEFA Europa League First Round Qualifier
Pick: Rangers to WIN & Over 3.5 Match Goals
Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker: Coral

	1	X	2
	25/1	9/1	1/14

* (Betting Odds were taken from Coral on July 8th, 2019 at 14:00)

Preview: Thursday nights in the Europa League were full of drama and genuine excitement for Rangers supporters last season, as their team produced some enthralling displays in the group stage. Their passionate fans will no doubt be craving more of the same in the new campaign. For that to become a reality, Rangers must power through several rounds of qualifying which begins with a trip to Gibraltar to face the third-best team in the country, St Josephs.

Europa League Betting with Coral

St Josephs Preview – Underdogs confident after tasting first success in Europe?

Playing in Europe is often a humbling experience for clubs from Gibraltar. This, after all, is a country hamstrung by a minuscule population of less than 35,000. The current league champions are Lincoln Red Imps, a club immediately sent packing in the preliminary round of the Champions League last month. So when you take into account how far behind the leaders St Josephs finished, it hardly inspires much confidence regarding the likelihood of any potential upset.

The club nicknamed ‘Saints’ finished eleven points off the Gibraltar champions, securing their fifth consecutive third-place finish. At the very least they are consistent, as has been their propensity for being involved in high-scoring affairs. Their league games averaged 3.6 goals per game, while at home 13 out of 17 league and cup fixtures produced over 2.5 goals (that becomes 10/17 for over 3.5 goals). I am not privy to training sessions in the country but defending is evidently not high on their list of priorities it seems.

Those numbers don’t particularly augur well as they prepare to welcome possibly the most glamorous opposition to ever grace their tiny Victoria Park stadium. A Europa League qualifier with Cypriots AEL Limassol in 2017 would be the closest equivalent, and that resulted in a 10-0 aggregate whitewash in which they lost the home leg 4-0. However, that was a couple years ago. Since then they have given a much better account of themselves in Europe, albeit against weaker caliber of opponents.

At this same stage last season they were eliminated by B36 Torshavn of the Faroe Islands, but only after losing a nervy penalty shootout. This season, meanwhile, saw them earn their maiden victory in European competition. A shock 3-1 aggregate win over Kosovo outfit Prishtina, in the preliminary stage, was one of the biggest results in the club’s history. That upset was largely staged at home, where they won 2-0. Only a similar outcome here would realistically keep them in qualifying contention ahead of a daunting return leg in Scotland.

Rangers Preview – Scottish giants should have too much class?

The general feeling in Scotland, certainly from those representing the blue half of Glasgow, is we could be witnessing a power shift in Scottish football imminently as Rangers set about ending Celtic’s domestic dominance. Ensuring that does happen will be the club’s priority for the upcoming season, of that there is little doubt, but it was in Europe where The Gers really captured the imagination of supporters last season. So it’s important the club give everything in their quest to secure European football for another term.

As was also the case last season, Rangers must negotiate several awkward qualifying rounds if they’re to have another crack at the group stage. Beginning with a trek to the sunny climes of Gibraltar for what should be a fairly routine tie. This time last year they were preparing to face Macedonian opponents in the shape of Shkupi, although only eased to a 2-0 aggregate victory. That was early into the Steven Gerrard reign, when the team were still gelling and adjusting to a whole new regime.

By the end of the season Rangers were a more cohesive unit. In fact, they were purring, finishing with six wins on the spin in the league – including none more coveted than the 2-0 scoreline earned against bitter rivals Celtic – before a loss to Kilmarnock on the final day of the season. Gerrard’s men were a different proposition on the road, though, as opposed to playing in front of a packed out Ibrox. Five of their six league defeats were incurred whilst on their travels, where they also conceded almost three times as many goals.

There is, however, a feel good vibe surrounding the club at present, one that an early setback in Europe might scupper. Therefore it is unlikely the manager will take any of these qualifying rounds too lightly, with Gerrard likely to incorporate these early rounds as part of his preparations for the upcoming season. And if his players are in a similar mood to when they thrashed English League One outfit Oxford United 5-0 earlier in the month, we could be in for a fair few goals.

Betting Summary

Gibraltar’s domestic matches all follow a familiar pattern – lots and lots of goals. Which implies they are unlikely to keep the scoring down here, facing a higher quality of opponent than ordinarily accustomed to.

An average of 3 goals were scored in games involving Rangers away from home last season. The Gers scored at a rate of almost two goals a game on the road, this when facing sterner opposition to that which awaits them on Tuesday.

It’s all about how badly Rangers want goals in this game, because there is the potential for a fair few. Rangers WIN & Over 4.5 Goals looks a solid bet at 29/20 with Coral, but I am in need of a winner and, therefore, needs must. The more conservative variation of this bet is with Over 3.5 Goals, which returns odds of 7/10.