Petrocub vs Betis prediction: EUROPE: Conference League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-12-11 17:45.
[p]Petrocub Hîncești find themselves all the way down in 34th place ahead of the penultimate matchday of this season’s UEFA Conference League, but encouragement will be taken from the fact their lone point came in their last game against Başakşehir, where they equalised in the 96th minute to draw 1-1. Prior to that, the Moldovans had lost their opening three matches of the competition by an aggregate score of 9-1, making their prospects of moving onto the next round highly improbable.[/p]
[p]Manager Andrei Martin will be reassuring his team that improbable does not mean impossible, since his side are three points off the top-24 in what is their first ever appearance in the main draw of a UEFA competition. Up next are one of the biggest sides in the competition in Real Betis for what will be their inaugural encounter with Spanish opposition, and it’s no wonder they find themselves listed as significant underdogs since they’ve won just five of their previous 29 European matches in their history (D8, L16).[/p]
[p]Betis are one of many teams that find themselves just three points above their hosts, after a disappointing league phase campaign that has yielded just one win in their four outings (D1, L2). Los Verdiblancos will be disappointed with that output considering they’ve been the favourites in each match, meaning they’re all but assured to be out of the running for the top-eight.[/p]
[p]Perhaps a trip to Moldova will help Manuel Pellegrini’s men recover and secure progression, seeing as Betis won their prior two matches against Moldovan opposition. The visitors have picked up a little of late, securing Copa del Rey progression and twice recovering from a goal down to draw with La Liga leaders Barcelona at the weekend – a strong response to a stunning 2-1 defeat to Mladá Boleslav on matchday four.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Dan Pușcaș provided the assist for Petrocub’s equaliser against Başakşehir, and this time he’ll look to score himself since six of his last seven goals have come at home, which have helped his team to victory each time. Betis forward Chimy Ávila is a prime candidate to steer his team to a win, considering his four goals this season have all come on the road. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Betis have conceded in the first half in five of their last six matches. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]