Prediction: Dunajska Streda vs Cliftonville

Verdict: Total goals under 2.5

Best odds: 1/1

Bookmaker: Betfair

The qualifications for the upcoming season’s Europa Conference League get underway this week, and in the opening round, Dunajska Streda will be hosting Cliftonville at the DAC Stadium.

Dunajska Streda

A Slovak Super Liga season consists of two stages, the regular part and the play-offs. The 12 teams are divided into two groups of six at the end of the regular part, and while the bottom six take part in a relegation tussle, the top six are involved in the battle for the title.

Dunajska Streda finished fourth at the end, behind champions Slovan Bratislava, Ruzomberok in second place, and Spartak Trnava in third. Their position was extremely firm, with Spartak ending the season with 14 points more and fifth-place Sered seven points less.

Following the conclusion of the season, Streda played three friendlies, beating second-tier side Pohronie by 3-1, drawing without goals against Slovan Bratislava, and eventually losing 1-3 to Hungarian side Paksi FC.

Team News

Nikola Krstovic, who joined Streda last year from Red Star Belgrade, is likely to lead the attacking line for the home side. If not, manager Adrian Gula might go for Sharani Zuberu instead. Winger Andrezinho will be hoping to step into the breach created by the departure of Thibaud Verlinden, who has joined Beershot as a free agent.

Captain Dominik Kruzliak should be joined by Matheus Brunetti in the heart of defence, with Andrejs Ciganiks and Cesar Blackman on the defensive flanks. Sebastian Nebyla and Milan Dimun are usually trusted in the middle of the park.

Cliftonville

Northern Ireland have the same league system as Slovakia, and Cliftonville finished runners-up to champions Linfield by a single point, in both stages of the season. Third-place Glentoran FC were left behind by 11 points in the end.

Such an ending to the season surely must hurt, but Cliftonville have at least earned a chance to present themselves on the continent.

Paddy McLaughlin’s team played four matches in the month of June, including a 1-2 defeat to Derry City FC, a 0-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers, a 1-2 defeat to Bala Town, as well as to The New Saints by the same scoreline. It could be said that they at least should have some rhythm to their game, even though the results obviously weren’t great.

Team News

McLaughlin usually deploys his team in a 3-5-2 shape, preferring the trio of Colin Coates, Jonny Addis and Luke Turner at the back. Captain Chris Curran, Rory Hale and Ronan Doherty are the players to hold the middle of the park, flanked by wing-backs Jamie McDonagh and Levi Ives.

Upfront, Ryan Curran and Joe Gormley are tasked with bringing in the goals, with Paul O’Neill arguably the next in the pecking order.

Conclusion

With no proper competitive form to look at, calling matches such as this one in advance is extremely difficult. The only thing that can be deduced is that neither side will be likely to rush forward too much, husbanding their strength to settle the tie in the second leg a week later.

Verdict: Total goals under 2.5

Best odds: 1/1

Bookmaker: Betfair