Slovan Bratislava vs Zalgiris prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-09-07 19:00.
Embarking on their third successive UEFA competition appearance, Slovan Bratislava are in red-hot form and sit top of the Slovak Super Liga having lost just once all season (W7, D1, L1). Their participation in all three UEFA club competition qualifiers means they’ve already played eight European games to reach the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) although they only just hobbled across the qualification line to be here, after edging HŠK Zrinjski on penalties in the playoff round.
Slovan fell at the group stages of this competition last season, perhaps unfortunately, as their eight points was the most of any third-place finisher. Critics might point towards Slovan’s measly record in their home city of Bratislava, where they’ve only triumphed twice in 12 European group games (D2, L8), but as the only Slovakian side to win a UEFA competition – the 1968/69 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup – national pride may be on the line as they host Žalgiris for the very first time.
Žalgiris are making a UECL group stage debut after defending their Lithuanian A Lyga title last season, also playing qualifiers in the top-two tiers of UEFA club competition before a 1-0 defeat to Ludogorets saw them arrive here. They are chasing down a tenth league title too, sitting top of the standings, although they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw to Džiugas Telšiai in their last away contest.
It’s away day blues that Žalgiris need to fix at this level, having won just one of their last seven away games (D2, L4) on their continental travels (inc. qualifiers), whilst also failing to score on five of those occasions. However, that win did arrive against Malmö in a UEFA Champions League qualifier as recently as July, so Žalgiris will be looking for a repeat here, with that 2-0 victory marking the first time they have won ‘to nil’ away in UEFA competition since 2005!
Player to watch: Slovan haven't progressed from a UEFA group stage in each of their four attempts, so they’ll be looking to Eric Ramírez for help after he scored three goals from his last four outings, including two in Slovan’s UECL qualifying triumph. Meanwhile, Žalgiris’ Renan Oliveira has scored five in as many games for his side in all competitions, and also netted the final goal in their away victory over Malmö.
Hot streak: There’s been at least three goals in each of Slovan’s last three home UEFA contests.