Zorya V Espanyol
Thursday 29th August 2019 – 18:00 Kick-Off
UEFA Europa League
Pick: Zorya or Draw (Double Chance)
Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: Bet365
 |
1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/1 | 47/20 | 5/4 |
* (All betting odds displayed were correct as of 27th August 2019 at 16:50)
Preview: Spanish side Espanyol needed to produce a second-half comeback in the first leg, scoring three times after the interval through Facundo Ferreyra, Javi Lopez and Matias Vargas to cancel out a 38th minute opening goal from Vladyslav Kocherhin for Zoyra. Now back in their native Ukraine, can Zorya conjure up a fightback of their own in this deciding second leg?
Zorya Preview – Hosts to leave themselves open chasing a big victory?
Technically the fourth-best team in Ukraine during 2018-19, Zorya now need a huge collective effort back at home if they are to successfully overturn a two goal deficit and qualify for the group stage of the Europa League. Midfielder Vladyslav Kocherhin had given them the lead going into half-time of the first leg, but they were seriously made to pay for a second-half capitulation that seen them concede three times without reply.
The scoreline last week could not be described as harsh, either. The Ukrainian outfit saw much less of the ball, and while credit should be given for carving out a few scoring opportunities, it was still a fraction of what Espanyol created. So, not only must there be a significant improvement in the scoreline but the performance, too, requires some work.
However, their record at home in European competition is reasonably impressive. Since 2014, the club has hosted nine Europa League qualifying matches and only been beaten on the one occasion (W4 D4 L1) – a 1-0 reverse against Poland’s Legia Warsaw in 2015. On the four occasion they were victorious – against Laci (2-1), Charleroi (3-0), Buducnost Podgorica (1-0) and CSKA Sofia (1-0) – only one, as you can patently see for yourself, was by a margin greater than a single goal. The latter two were earned this season.
On the domestic front the club has at least made positive inroads into the new season, occupying third position after five games (W3 D1 L1). Although a draw and a defeat from their opening two home fixtures, versus Dnipro-1 (1-1) and Olexandria (L1-2), is hardly inspiring, with all three of their league victories occuring away from home.
Espanyol Preview – La Liga side to secure sixth straight win in Europe?
You would never have thought this was their first experience of European football in over a decade with how easy they have made it look up until now, but Espanyol have breezed through two earlier rounds before finally being tested last week. And at 1-0 down at half-time the La Liga outfit must have known they were suddenly in a proper European game, because they were a different animal in the second period.
From trailing at the interval to scoring three unanswered goals in the second half, Espanyol are now within reach of the group stages. The final score of 3-1 was nothing less than David Gallego’s men deserved, after dominating possession as well as the shot count. A performance even remotely close to that would see them collect another positive outcome in Ukraine.
And this is a side which has already travelled to Iceland and Switzerland in the earlier rounds and departed with handsome victories, achieved against Stjarnan (1-3) and Luzern (0-3). In fact, Espanyol will be aiming to maintain a flawless record in Europe this season; they’ve won all five of their games thus far, scoring sixteen goals in the process whilst conceding only twice.
The one slight cause for concern would be their early domestic form. Football in Spain has only recently got underway but Espanyol are already playing catch up following a sluggish start, collecting a solitary point from contests with Sevilla (0-2) and Alaves (0-0). The latter being away from home, creating a disappointing 0.22XG in the match.
Zorya V Espanyol Key Facts:
- Zorya have been beaten once in nine previous home Europa League qualifying games (W4 D4 L1).
- Espanyol have a 100% record in Europe this season, beating Stjarnan and Luzern in both legs in earlier rounds.
- To overturn a 3-1 first leg defeat, Zorya must achieve a feat they managed only once before – win at home in a UEFA qualifying game by at least two clear goals.
Betting Summary
Although Zorya do possess a tidy home record in Europe, with only one loss incurred in their previous nine qualifying encounters in Ukraine, on only four occasions were they actually victorious and, furthermore, only one of those was by a margin greater than a single goal – they need to win this second leg by at least two clear goals to stand any chance of progressing.
I didn’t touch on it in the preview above but Espanyol were extremely unreliable in last season’s La Liga as the away side, recording eight fewer away wins (3 v 11). However, a 0-0 draw at Alaves on Sunday did make it five away fixtures without defeat. In Europe meanwhile, the Barcelona based club have already recorded big wins in Iceland and Switzerland, against Stjarnan (1-3) and Luzern (0-3) respectively.
Just one loss in nine previous European home games (qualifying rounds only) suggests Zorya won’t go down easily in this second leg. Particularly as they are facing an Espanyol side that seldom won away from home in last season’s La Liga. Overturning the 3-1 aggregate score is probably asking too much but the Ukrainians, with home advantage in their favour, are capable of recording a positive outcome at the very least.
