Eintracht Frankfurt vs RFS prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-23 16:45.
[p]As one of a raft of teams to have gone unbeaten across the first two UEFA Europa League (UEL) matchdays (W1, D1), Eintracht Frankfurt have had a decent start to this tournament and the season in general, despite a 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. That weekend setback was their first competitive loss since late August (W5, D2), and they’re on a run of 15 UEL games without defeat (W9, D6).[/p]
[p]As the Eagles prepare for a first ever meeting with Latvia’s RFS, this will also be a first H2H against Latvian opposition for the 2021/22 UEL winners. Protecting a run of seven matches at home in this competition without defeat (W2, D5), they’ll start as heavy favourites, with that sequence including positive results against the likes of Barcelona, Real Betis and West Ham.[/p]
[p]It has been a UEL baptism of fire for RFS, who were beaten 4-1 by FCSB on matchday one, so they deserve credit for picking up a 2-2 draw with Galatasaray on matchday two, especially after going 2-0 down. Fans can look forward to more next term as they are already guaranteed European football, but they’ll be eyeing up a domestic league title too, as they sit six points clear atop the Virsliga with three rounds remaining.[/p]
[p]Having only ever won two UEL away games in regulation time (L3), this promises to be a tough assignment for the reigning Latvian champions, who were only fully established in 2005 and first played in Europe in 2019/20. This is unsurprisingly their first continental trip to Germany and indeed the first for any Latvian side since Ventspils travelled to Hertha Berlin in September 2009 (D 1-1)![/p]
[p]Players to watch: Both of Junior Dina Ebimbe’s goals for Frankfurt this season came in this competition and both were also his side’s second of the game. Jānis Ikaunieks has scored six times across RFS’s last four games, opening the scoring before half-time in each of their last three.[/p]
[p]Hot streak: German teams are unbeaten across their last eight European fixtures against Latvian opposition (W7, D1).[/p]
[p][i]Written by John Pennington[/i][/p]