Egnatia vs Borac Banja Luka Prediction - Champions League Qualifiers
The Albanian team, having lost just 1-0 away in Bosnia, is hopeful of turning things around on home soil. However, it must be noted that underdog KF Egnatia has never won an international competitive match before. The visitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have experience on their side including a former cup victory in Yugoslavia, have played 25 European matches, winning nine, drawing six, and losing ten. Thus, our forecast strongly favors Banja Luka to advance past Egnatia.
In the first leg, the Albanian team maintained a solid defensive stance, keeping the score at 0:0 for a long period. Even after Arbin Zejnullai was given a direct red card in the 58th minute, they managed to hold their defense. Only in the sixth minute of stoppage time did the Bosnian team finally score to secure a 1:0 home victory.
Egnatia – Statistics & Current Form
Given their place in the top tier of Albanian football since the 2021 season, it’s no surprise that the club now has the chance to showcase their stadium on the international stage.
Following their national cup win in 2023, the Green-Blacks were knocked out in the first qualifying round of the Conference League last season, losing in a penalty shootout to the Armenian club FC Ararat-Armenia after two draws. As national champions, they now have the opportunity to compete in the Champions League qualifiers.
Can Egnatia Compensate for Zejnullai’s Absence?
KF Egnatia finds themselves in a tough spot after a 0-1 loss to Banja Luka in the first leg. A home victory could at least force an extension of the match. Furthermore, the Green-Blacks would have a fallback option this time. Even if they lose, they will still enter the second qualifying round of the Conference League. Certainly, the underdog that clinched their first ever state championship in 2024 isn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet.
However, it’s clear that the task ahead for the squad from Central Albania is monumental. Arbin Zejnullai, who received a straight red card in the first leg and is now suspended, is one of the key players in Coach Edlir Tetova’s roster. This suspension, coupled with the ban of Edison Ndreca, who also saw a red card in injury time during the first match, adds to their challenges.
Egnatia faces an uphill battle in the second leg
Despite the setbacks, bookmakers still see a chance for the Albanian side to make a comeback. According to the top betting providers, the odds between Egnatia and Banja Luka are fairly balanced, even though the stats are not in favor of the team from Rrogozhina. KF Egnatia has yet to secure a win in their three international competitive matches so far (with two draws and one loss).
Their recent friendly matches haven’t provided much solace either, with three games ending in two draws and one loss, each time conceding exactly two goals. This indicates that Coach Edlir Tetova’s squad is still trying to find their footing for the upcoming season.
Banja Luka – Statistics & Current Form
FK Borac Banja Luka is among the oldest football clubs in the former Yugoslavia and made history in the 1987/88 season. They are the only Yugoslavian second division team to have won the national cup, defeating heavyweights Red Star Belgrade 1-0 in the final. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Crveno-plavi (the Red-Blues) claimed their third championship title in the summer of 2024, following previous victories in 2011 and 2021. However, they were defeated in the cup final by Zrinjski Mostar.
Banja Luka’s Solid European Record
The modest club aims to reach the group stage of a UEFA competition for the first time in its history. So far, they have played 25 international competitive matches, winning nine of them (six draws, ten losses). [hub_spot_form type=”tips”] In the 2021/22 season, a narrow 2-1 home victory against CFR Cluj wasn’t enough to secure their place in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. They had already lost 1-3 in the first leg in Romania.
Key Facts – Egnatia vs. Banja Luka Tip
- Banja Luka won the first leg thanks to a last-minute goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time, 1-0
- Egnatia has yet to win any of their first three international competitive matches (two draws, one loss)
- Banja Luka has won nine of their previous 25 European competitive matches (six draws, ten losses)
Given that the Albanians will likely struggle with an aggressive playing style, the second leg is set up to be a rather slow match with few goals. Hence, we find the bet that there will be no more than two goals scored in the regular game time very appropriate. For under 2.5 goals, the betting odds for Egnatia against Banja Luka are 1.79, available at Intertops, which we recommend playing with four out of ten units.
