Sturm Graz v Haugesund Betting Tip Sturm Graz/Over 2.5 goals – 1 August 2019

Sturm Graz v Haugesund
Thursday 1st August 1930hrs
Football – Europe – Europa League
Pick Sturm Graz and Over 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Betway
Odds: 11/8 (odds taken 21.00 GMT, Wednesday 31 July)

	1	X	2
	2/5	67/20	32/5

* (Betting Odds were taken from 22Bet on July 31, 2019 at 21.00)

Sturm Graz have work to do in order to continue their participation in this year’s Europa League. Haugesund produced a brilliant performance at home last Thursday and come to Austria with a two goal led.

Europa League Qualification Betting at Betway

Sturm Graz Preview – Have Austrians enough to find a result that will see them progress to third round?

This is the third year in a row that Sturm Graz have qualified for the Europa League, but they continued to find the qualification phase very challenging. The Austrians were eliminated at the third round of qualifiers back in 2017. On that occasion it was a narrow 3-2 aggregate defeat to Turkish giants Fenerbahce. They made it to that same stage 12 months ago but where thumped 7-0 over the two legs to Cypriot outfit AEK Larnaca. That was a complete capitulation for the Graz club and at the halfway stage of this game they are also in a spot of bother. Considering this is the stage they entered qualification at, an exit here to an opponent they would hope to beat would be seen as another embarrassing episode.

It’s been a whirlwind start for Nestor El Maestro who only took over in the summer. The Serbian, who is only 36, faces his first big challenge so early on. He has forged something of a reputation already in his short career having won the Slovakian league title with Spatak Trvnava a couple of seasons ago. A somewhat troubling time in charge of CSKA Sofia in between coming here means he will be keen to avoid any further frustrations just yet.

Haugesund Preview – Will Norwegians carry on where they left off from last week and finish the job?

Haugesund are not in any way a regular participant in European competition but you would not have known going by last week’s win. This is just the third time in their history playing in the Europa League having finished fourth in their domestic league last season. Their previous two attempts have been ended at this stage. A 4-3 defeat to Lech Poznan two years ago will still hurt the Norwegians and will also serve as a warning. Haugesund had won the first leg of that tie only to lose 2-0 in Poland and be knocked out. Jostein Grindhaug was not in charge in 2017 but he will still be wary that there is a lo of football left to be played.

Unlike their opponents on Thursday, the Norwegians entered in the first round of qualifying. Cliftonville were their opponents and after a nervy 1-0 win away from home, they avoided any potential shocks by thrashing their Irish opponents 5-1 in the home leg. They could not have done much more in the first leg of this second round clash either. And will be looking to complete the job in the second leg tomorrow night.

Key-Facts – Sturm Graz v Haugesund

The winners of this tie face a hugely difficult tie in the next round with PSV waiting in the wings. Whoever is victorious will cross that bridge when they come to it but the aim is still the same – win this tie and take their chances. Two games against the Dutch giants would also be financially beneficial. Sturm Graz have a very difficult job on if they are to be in that third round though. What they will take some confidence from is the 3-0 win to open up the Austrian Bundesliga campaign. That result would see them overturn the first leg deficit and continue playing European football for another couple of games.

Haugesund’s form would suggest they are a much better team at home than on their travels. Home advantage should see Sturm Graz in a much better light and they can win this game in the 90 minutes. It’s also a game that should contain goals so cater for there being at least three goals in it, too.