Will the Croatian runner-up keep another clean sheet?
We remember very few offensive plays from the first leg in our Zilina vs. Hajduk Split pick. The Croatian runner-up benefited at home from two consecutive long-range goals resulting from simple attacking moves down the right flank, thereby securing a favorable position heading into the second leg.
Based on the assessments of the top bookmakers, our Zilina vs. Hajduk Split prediction for the second leg of the first Europa League qualifying round also favors a victory for the Bili. With a 2-0 lead and a solid defense, the odds are looking pretty good.
An analysis shouldn’t be based too heavily on preseason results—but performances and trends from the friendlies can certainly be taken into account. This is especially true when certain patterns have repeated themselves in the first competitive match of the season.
In the first leg, the Yellow-Greens’ best attacking move developed from a quick transition, at the end of which Timotej Hranica, unmarked from nine meters out, shot wide of the goal. Such open spaces are likely to be even scarcer in the second match.
The Croatian visitors have no need to take risks, and the Slovak hosts aren’t creating enough chances from open play. These are ideal conditions for a bet on “Under 2.5 goals” in the Zilina vs. Hajduk Split match at odds of 1.87 on bet365.
Zilina – Hajduk Split Head-to-Head Record
We’ve noted three head-to-head matches between the two opponents leading up to the Zilina vs. Hajduk Split match. All of them took place during Europa League qualifying. The head-to-head record is even, with one win and one draw each. In 2009, Zilina won the second leg of the third qualifying round 1-0, after the first match had ended in a draw (1-1). Just like in the first two matches, the most recent game a week ago also ended with fewer than 2.5 goals.
Zilina – Hajduk Split Prediction
On the benches are Pavol Stano (Zilina) and Gonzalo Garcia (Hajduk Split), two coaches who are each entering their second season with their respective clubs. The latter had the better preseason, during which his players excelled at implementing the 4-2-3-1 system he demanded of them.
Hajduk Split won all three of their preseason friendlies, keeping a clean sheet in each, just as they did in their first official match of the season against Zilina. Overall, Garcia’s squad allowed just 0.68 expected goals and faced only a single shot on goal last week.
We expect even fewer chances for Zilina in this second matchup.
Given the current situation, the Slovakian team is forced to take the initiative—a task they have failed to handle satisfactorily in both the friendly matches and the first leg.
Playing out of a 3-4-3 formation, Pavol Stano’s squad is currently struggling immensely to create clear chances from open play, outside of transition situations.
