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Europa Conference League Best Bets: Thursday, July, 13th
On June 7th 2023, West Ham ended a 58-year wait for European silverware when they lifted the Europa Conference league trophy. A meagre 37 days later and the tournament’s third edition gets underway.
The Hammers will, of course, be competing in the Europa League this campaign as part of the reward for defeating Fiorentina in the final. Here we see the lesser-ranked sides in European football begin their attempt to progress to the group stages.
Three of Thursday’s games go under the microscope.
In this article:
- Riga vs Vikingur Reykjavik Preview & Best Bet
- Dunajská Streda vs Dila Preview & Best Bet
- Progrès vs Gjilani Preview & Best Bet
Riga vs Vikingur Reykjavik Preview
UEFA, Europa Conference League, Thursday, July 13th, 18:00 (UK)
Unlike most ties, this clash sees two sides actively competing domestically. Riga currently sits atop the Latvian Virsliga. In contrast, Víkingur Reykjavík are nine points clear of Valur in Iceland’s Besta Deild Karla.
Tomislav Stipić’s men have featured in each of the first two editions of this tournament – losing in extra time of the final qualification round in 2021/22. They also exited at the semi-final of qualifying last term at the hands of Gil Vicente despite a very respectable 1-1 draw in the home leg.
The visitors’ debut came in the competition last season, defeating Welsh side TNS 2-0 on aggregate, before being knocked out by Lech Poznan in extra time at the same stage as their hosts here.
Both sides played in their respective leagues on Saturday. The Latvians needed an 88th-minute Petar Bosancic strike to see off Auga. While Vikingur, managed by former Leicester, Stoke, and Bolton forward Arnar Gunnlaugsson, drew 3-3 with bottom side Keflavik—only a 96th-minute Nikolaj Hansen goal sparing their blushes.
Riga vs Víkingur Reykjavík Best Bet
The side from the Latvian capital have an excellent home record. They’ve won nine of their 11 league games at Skonto Stadions. In this competition, they were also unbeaten in their previous four fixtures on home soil.
The Icelanders will prove tough opponents, however, as they are unbeaten on the road in the league this season. They have hit the back of the net in every fixture this term, scoring at least two goals in each of their last 11 outings.
With Riga conceding in all of their last four home games prior to Saturday’s clean sheet, I like the look of both teams scoring here. Odds of 2.00 with Betfair make it a very attractive play.
- Selection: Yes on Both Teams to Score
- Best Odds: 2.00 (Betfair)
- Stakes: 8/10
More Riga vs Víkingur Reykjavík Tips
Dunajská Streda vs Dila Preview
UEFA, Europa Conference League, Thursday, July 13th, 18:30 (UK)
Despite topping the 2022/23 Niké Liga after the regular season, FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda (to give them their full name) had to settle for 2nd place in the Championship group. It’s an outcome which leads them to the qualification round for a third successive campaign.
Adrián Guľa will hope to see his side continue their improvement after a first-round qualifying exit in 2021/22. They reached the third qualifying round last season, where a pair of 1-0 defeats to Steaua Bucharest eliminated them.
With the Slovak top flight yet to get underway, the Dunajská Streda-based club have kept sharp with five pre-season friendlies. The Slovaks have remained undefeated in all five, recording three draws and two wins. The latest of which was a 4-2 thrashing of Rapid Vienna on their last outing.
Like their hosts, Dila are no strangers to this competition, having featured in each of the first two campaigns. Having yet to enjoy any success, they will attempt to progress past the opening qualifying round for the first time.
The Guarders, as they are known, finished 3rd in the Georgian top flight last season. They are 19 games into the current Erovnuli Liga campaign and sit fifth. However, only three points adrift of third place.
Dunajská Streda vs Dila Best Bet
Dunajská Streda are warm favourites to win this first leg, but we can get them onside with a bet builder. In this competition, the visitors shipped seven goals across their two previous away games.
Five of those goals came against Zilina, another Slovakian side. A team that Dunajská Streda finished 28 points ahead of last term.
Eighteen-goal Nikola Krstovic was the league’s top scorer and is expected to line up for the home side here. Therefore, the hosts may have the necessary firepower to score at least twice on their way to claiming a first-leg advantage.
- Selection: Dunajská Streda to win and score over 1.5 goals.
- Best Odds: 1.84 (Unibet)
- Stakes: 10/10
More Dunajská Streda vs Dila Tips
Progrès vs Gjilani Preview
UEFA, Europa Conference League, Thursday, July 13th, 18:30 (UK)
Here we have another tie which sees both clubs in-between seasons domestically. Progrès Niedercorn ended their last campaign in the Luxembourg National Division strongly. They are unbeaten in their last nine fixtures, registering eight impressive wins. Their 2nd placed finish sees them enter this competition for the first time.
In contrast to their hosts, Gjilani ended their campaign in the Football Superleague of Kosovo poorly, drawing their last four games to finish a distant 3rd place. The gulf of 16 and 19 points off the two teams ahead of them makes their finish a little less appealing than first thought. The Falcons then went on to lose the Kosovo Cup final 2-0 to Prishtina.
Gjilani will be competing in this tournament for a second successive season. Notably, they were knocked out at this stage 12 months ago by Latvian side Liepaja 3-2 on aggregate.
Jeff Strasser has undertaken something of an overhaul of the Luxembourg side this summer. Nine players have left the club, with seven incoming so far. Striker Walid Jarmouni is arguably the most high-profile new arrival, having joined from French Ligue 2 side FC Pau.
It’s been a quiet summer for the visitors, having released two players, including veteran goalkeeper Enea Koliçi, plus bringing in one permanent signing and two loans. Winger Shend Kelmendi is the only confirmed absentee. His return from a cruciate knee ligament injury is expected later next month.
Progrès vs Gjilani Best Bet
A price of 1.90 for a home win catches the eye here. Of course, with no current form to go off, we are looking for a continuation of how these two sides performed in concluding their respective campaigns last season.
The absence following the end of his loan of 20-goal top scorer Elias Filet will be a blow. However, one hopes that the arrival of his aforementioned fellow countryman on a similar deal will have an equally positive impact.
Expect home advantage to be crucial here against a side that lost 3-1 in this away leg at this stage of the competition 12 months ago.
- Selection: Progrès Niedercorn to win
- Best Odds: 1.90 (10Bet)
- Stakes: 7/10
Odds via Betfair, Unibet and 10Bet as at 02:30 July 12th 2023. Odds may now differ.
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