Apollon vs Dnipro-1 prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-09-14 16:45.
Cyprus First Division champions Apollon Limassol will look to claim their first-ever UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) victory when they lock horns with Ukrainian side Dnipro-1 on Thursday evening. The Cypriot side drew their opening group game (0-0) but have a perfect domestic record coming into this fixture, with Sunday’s 2-1 comeback win against Omonia Nicosia making it three successive victories to start their league campaign for a second year in a row.
Apollon have now won three of their four home games across all competitions this season, including a 2-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa in their UEFA Champions League (UCL) qualifying round, although a 4-0 defeat in the first leg prevented them from winning that tie. They’ll understand the importance of winning their group games at home as just one victory at the Tsirio Stadium in their most recent UEFA Europa League (UEL) group stage outing ultimately cost them a knockout phase place when they missed qualification by two points.
Dnipro-1 continued their perfect domestic form when they swept aside Metalist 1925 Kharkiv 3-0 on Sunday, making them the only side in the Ukrainian Premier Liga to still have a 100% win record. Oleksandr Kucher’s team are yet to translate that form into European competitions, losing both legs of their UEL qualifying tie against AEK Larnaca before then succumbing to a home defeat to group-favourites AZ Alkmaar.
The Ukrainian side are making their UECL debut this term after finishing a club-record third in the Premier Liga last season. They will be considered underdogs but still with a fighting chance against Thursday’s opponents in these sides’ first ever H2H, with both teams looking to pick up their first win in what should be a tightly-contested group that saw just one goal on matchday one.
Players to watch: French winger Hervin Ongenda has made a strong start to life in Cyprus since moving from the Eredivisie, netting the opener in Apollon’s UCL qualifier against Maccabi. Meanwhile, Ukrainian fullback Volodymyr Adamyuk has netted two second-half goals this campaign, with both coming in wins.
Hot stat: All nine of Dnipro-1’s goals this season have come after the 40th minute.