Omonia vs Vikingur Reykjavik prediction: EUROPE: Conference League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-02 16:45.
[p]After navigating their way through three rounds of qualifiers for the UEFA Conference League, Cyprusâ second-most decorated club Omonia will hope to get through this inaugural league phase. Whilst the Cypriots won four of their five games to begin their domestic league season, winning on the continent has proven much harder in recent years, as shown by their UEFA group stage record in this decade (W1, D5, L12). [/p]
[p]Omonia are strong favourites to improve on that shoddy record as they welcome Icelandic opponents VĂkingur ReykjavĂk to Nicosia for only the second time in club history after a 2-1 win here against Akranes way back in 1975/76. Omonia have also put behind them their three home games without victory in the 2021/22 Conference League group stage with five straight subsequent home wins, albeit all qualifiers, by an aggregate score of 15-2.[/p]
[p]Beginning this season in the Champions League qualifiers, VĂkingur quickly dropped into the Conference League with a defeat to Shamrock Rovers, before progressing through three arduous rounds to reach their first ever UEFA competition proper in this century. Still in with a great chance of securing back-to-back Icelandic championships for the first time since 1982, VĂkingur will likely travel here with defiant hope despite their huge odds. [/p]
[p]Adding to that hope will be VĂkingurâs relatively solid record in their Conference League trips to date (W2, D2, L2), with both victories coming during this seasonâs qualifiers. This will be VĂkingurâs first clash against Cypriot opposition but that shouldnât faze boss Arnar Gunnlaugsson too much, who witnessed his side score their 500th goal under his tenure during the 215th game in charge last week. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Mariusz StÄpiĆski should arrive fresh for Omonia after serving a domestic ban. He has already scored four times across three separate qualifying games in this edition. Valdimar ĂĂłr Ingimundarson was similarly influential in VĂkingurâs journey to this point, scoring three goals for his club across two of their qualifying matches, one of which secured a valuable draw. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: None of Omoniaâs last ten Conference League games ended level (W8, L2) with five of the last eight being won âto nilâ by either team. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Matthew Billon[/i][/p]