The 2nd legs of the Europa League play-offs will be played this week and Thursday night features this upcoming clash between Irish outfit, Shamrock Rovers and their Hungarian counterparts, Ferencvaros, with the hosts facing a mountain to climb if they’re to progress through to the group stage.
Shamrock Rovers were dealt a heavy 4-0 thrashing in Hungary in last week’s 1st leg and although they now return to the more familiar surroundings of their Tallaght Stadium for this return leg, the hosts will need to score five unanswered goals on the night.
📸 l More pics from Sunday night's 3-0 win v Dundalk 👇— Shamrock Rovers FC ☘️ (@ShamrockRovers) August 23, 2022
📸 l More pics from Sunday night's 3-0 win v Dundalk 👇
Goals could certainly feature though in this 2nd leg decider as seven out of Shamrock Rovers’ last nine matches in all competitions have produced three goals or more and includes a 4-2 loss on aggregate to Ludogorets in the qualifying round of the Champions League along with a 5-2 win on aggregate against Shkupi in the previous round of this Europa League.
In addition, four of Shamrock’s last five home ties in the Europa League have also resulted in over 2.5 goals and with the hosts now chasing this 2nd leg tie, further goals look likely.
Onto Ferencvaros and the Hungarian visitors must feel they have at least one foot in the group stage of this season’s Europa League competition and all they need to do here is avoid a heavy defeat to their Irish hosts.
Having scored four goals in each of their last two matches with a 4-0 home win over Fehervar in the domestic NBI and last week’s 1st leg rout of Shamrock Rovers, Ferencvaros have shown that they are very capable of scoring goals.
Indeed, Ferencvaros notched five goals past Tobol in a 5-1 victory and registered a 4-1 win away from home at Slovan Bratislava in the early qualifying rounds of this season’s Champions League as well, so they certainly possess goals in their locker.
Six of Ferencvaros’ last eight matches overall have resulted in over 2.5 goals but the visitors will be mindful that they have also lost each of their last three away ties in the Europa League, incurring losses at Bayer Leverkusen, Celtic and Real Betis, and with no need to expose themselves in this 2nd leg, we could see a more conservative approach from the Hungarian visitors here.
The prospect of goals though here still looks likely as Shamrock Rovers need to attack from the kick-off.