On Thursday evening, Lincoln Red Imps host Slovan Bratislava in the Europa League third qualifying first leg. The visitors are favourites to progress to the play-off stage.
Lincoln Red Imps head into this clash on the back of elimination from the Champions League second qualifying round after a 4-1 aggregate defeat against Romanian outfit Cluj.
Skoro celý rok bol zavretý sektor C, ktorého brány sa otvoria už zajtra. Príď podporiť svoj milovaný klub a vytvor pravú belasú atmosféru na našom Tehelnom poli💙🏰. Vidíme sa v sobotu o 20.00 h na atraktívnom zápase ŠK Slovan Bratislava – @astrencin. https://t.co/USavIqvJJk pic.twitter.com/4TFTdXmlfd— ŠK Slovan Bratislava (@SKSlovan) July 30, 2021
Skoro celý rok bol zavretý sektor C, ktorého brány sa otvoria už zajtra. Príď podporiť svoj milovaný klub a vytvor pravú belasú atmosféru na našom Tehelnom poli💙🏰. Vidíme sa v sobotu o 20.00 h na atraktívnom zápase ŠK Slovan Bratislava – @astrencin. https://t.co/USavIqvJJk pic.twitter.com/4TFTdXmlfd
Michael McEwee’s team had previously beaten Luxembourg team Fola Esch 7-2 over the two legs of the first qualifying round.
Of course, the home team have become familiar with the Europa League in recent years. Last season they made it through to the second qualifying round, only to suffer a 5-0 humiliation against Scottish giants Rangers.
Lincoln Red Imps have only played six home games in the competition, winning two of the six outings.
Their recent home encounters have been relatively high-scoring with over 2.5 goals scored in three of their last four matches on home soil.
The visitors have already kicked off their domestic campaign, winning both of their opening matches in the Slovakian Super Liga.
Like their opponents, Slovan Bratislava suffered elimination from the Champions League at the second qualifying round, suffering a 3-2 defeat aggregate against Swiss team Young Boys.
Dropping down to the Europa League is bad news for the visitors, as it’s a competition they have not fared well in of late. In fact, they have failed to win any of their last six matches in the competition, while losing on four occasions.
One factor that has not helped the visitors cause in the Europa League of late is their poor defensive displays, as they have conceded at least two goals in six of their previous eight away matches in the competition.
Forebet predicts that the visitors will end that winless away run in the Europa League by recording an emphatic victory in a high-scoring encounter.