SM
Arsenal vs. Juventus: 4 hrs 30 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
Champions League | Third Qualifying Round | 2nd Leg
Aug 9, 2022 at 6pm UK
Doosan Aréna
ST

Plzen
2 - 1
Sheriff Tiraspol

Kliment (10'), Mosquera (62')
Havel (46'), Dedic (90+4')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Akanbi (47' pen.)
Pernambuco (17'), Evangelou (26'), Tejan (90+4')
Evangelou (85')

Preview: Viktoria Plzen vs. Sheriff Tiraspol - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Viktoria Plzen vs. Sheriff Tiraspol - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League clash between Viktoria Plzen and Sheriff Tiraspol, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

As their hopes of emulating last season's run hang by a thread, Sheriff Tiraspol visit Czech champions Viktoria Plzen in the third round of Champions League qualifying on Tuesday.

Having held their own in the group stage last autumn, Sheriff trail 2-1 from the first leg in Transnistria, and need a positive result to progress past a home side still unbeaten this term.


Match preview

A proud 16-match undefeated run ended for Sheriff last week, as the perennial Moldovan champions lost out to their rivals for a place in the playoff round of Champions League qualifying - the final step of the journey back to the group stage.

Head coach Stjepan Tomas took the reins earlier this summer, and was immediately under pressure to replicate the run enjoyed by Yuriy Vernydub's side last year, when they gatecrashed the group stage and beat both Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Madrid.

Starting qualification in the first round, at the start of July, Sheriff needed only one goal to get the job done against Zrinjski over two legs, and they then repeated the trick against Maribor in the second round.

However, after four clean sheets, Tomas saw his team capitulate in the second half last Tuesday, as they let a one-goal advantage slip at Zimbru Stadium, where they host their European home games - nearly 50 miles away from Tiraspol, in Chisinau.

In fact, that was where Sheriff started the defence of their domestic crown last week, as they drew 1-1 at Zimbru. Following up with a 3-1 win at Sfintul Gheorghe, they already sit top of the Moldovan National Division, but now return their thoughts to continental matters.

Viktoria Plzen, meanwhile, have mirrored their opponents' league results so far, and after also opening their campaign with a draw - 2-2 away to Teplice - they won 2-1 at home against FK Pardubice on Saturday.

As Czech champions for the first time in four years, and the sixth time in all, Viktoria started their qualification journey in the second round, with a thumping 7-1 aggregate victory over Finland's HJK.

On that occasion, Michal Bilek's men also won the first leg away from home 2-1 - as they did against Sheriff last week, with second-half strikes from Tomas Chory and Pavel Bucha - before wrapping things up back in Plzen.

The club's most recent appearance in the Champions League group stage appearance came in the 2018-19 season, when they lost four of their six matches in a group featuring Real Madrid, Roma and CSKA Moscow.

This time last year, Viktoria were eliminated at the playoff round of the inaugural Europa Conference League, but they are now well-placed to take a step closer to the promised land this week, with a place among Europe's elite coming ever closer.

Viktoria Plzen Champions League form:
  • W
  • W
  • W

Viktoria Plzen form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • W

Sheriff Tiraspol Champions League form:
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • L

Sheriff Tiraspol form (all competitions):
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • L
  • W


Team News

With Tuesday's second leg in mind, Michal Bilek opted to make sweeping changes against Pardubice at the weekend, and five changes to the lineup perhaps understandably produced an unconvincing display.

Among those missing was captain Lukas Hejda, due to suspension, but the centre-back will return to the XI in Europe, as Filip Kasa makes way.

Albanian midfielder Kristi Qose and Brazilian winger Cadu should also drop out, with the experienced trio of Vaclav Pilar, Jan Sykora and Pavel Bucha coming in. After scoring again on Saturday, Jan Kliment will lead the line in attack.

Meanwhile, Sheriff may contemplate changes to the team which lost last week on home soil, and Burkinabe wide man Abou Ouattara is among several players pushing for promotion from the bench.

Former Dinamo Zagreb striker Iyayi Atiemwen, recently ruled out by injury, could make his Champions League debut for the visitors, but his fellow Nigerian Rasheed Akanbi and Dutch forward Kay Tejan are the current incumbents up front.

Viktoria Plzen possible starting lineup:
Stanek; Pernica, Hejda, Havel; Sykora, Bucha, Kalvach, Pilar; Kopic, Kliment, Chory

Sheriff Tiraspol possible starting lineup:
Abalora; Guedes, Kiki, Radeljic, Kpozo; Badolo, Kyabou, Lushkja; Ouattara, Tejan, Akanbi


We say: Viktoria Plzen 2-1 Sheriff Tiraspol (Viktoria Plzen win 4-2 on aggregate)

Given their apparent ability to score goals at will this season - they have found the net at least in all five of their competitive games so far - the hosts are unlikely to be perturbed if Sheriff pull level on aggregate at some stage.

Though it may not be straightforward, it is Viktoria Plzen's name that will therefore go into the hat for the playoff round draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__491746 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-06-05 13:14:41:
html db last update - 2024-06-05 13:14:41 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Tuesday's Champions League predictions including Shamrock vs. Ludogorets
"Arsenal have got people in mind" - When could Edu's replacement be hired?
Not again! Chelsea boss Maresca reveals new injury to James ahead of Leicester game
Preview: Plzen vs. Real Sociedad - prediction, team news, lineups
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Slavia PragueSlavia Prague1412203352838
2Viktoria PlzenPlzen149322491530
3Banik OstravaBanik Ostrava1483325141127
4Sparta Prague148242618826
5FK Baumit JablonecJablonec14635189921
6Hradec Kralove145451211119
7Sigma OlomoucOlomouc135441919019
8MFK Karvina145451621-519
9FC SlovackoSlovacko13544915-619
10Mlada Boleslav144642118318
11Slovan LiberecSlovan Liberec144552018217
12Bohemians 1905144551519-417
13Teplice144191926-713
14Pardubice143291321-811
15Dukla Prague143291026-1611
16Ceske Budejovice140212536-312
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Preview: Leicester vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

1

PL

Man United 'planning stunning swap deal' for Inter's prolific striker Martinez

2

MU

Preview: West Brom vs. Norwich - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PW

Preview: Stevenage vs. Leyton Orient - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

4

PS

James blow, Palmer decision, Lavia to start? Chelsea predicted XI against Leicester

5

JB

Cooper's attacking crisis: Leicester predicted XI against Chelsea

6

CA

Leicester vs. Chelsea: Head-to-head record and past meetings

NEW

7

LV

Preview: Man City vs. Spurs - prediction, team news, lineups

8

PM

Sporting 'bracing themselves' for Man United bid for £83m star

9

S'

Courtois, Rodrygo, Alaba updates: Real Madrid injury news vs. Leganes

10

CR


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .