Skenderbeu Korce vs Dinamo Zagreb Prediction and Football Tips – 19/08/2015
Champions League football tips – Skenderbeu Korce vs Dinamo Zagreb prediction
Skenderbeu will be keen to slot defender Renato Arapi back into the team after his two match ban for a sending off, a player who started all but three league games last season. They have gone with the 4-4-2 formation in two of their last 5 games, conceding in both, therefore I think they will play a 4-2-3-1 with new signing Hamdi Salihi at the pinnacle of the attack.
Confidence in the Dinamo camp will be high going into this tie. They haven’t lost a game since November of 2014, and with a plethora of attacking options there are definitely lots of goals in the team. The biggest headache for coach Zoran Mamić will be who to play up front. Despite Armin Hodžić scoring five league goals so far this season, the preferred Champions League striker is Ángelo Henríquez.
Possible Line-ups
Skenderbeu Korce: 4-2-3-1 formation: Shehi; Vangjeli, Radaš, Jashanica, Arapi; Nimaga, Shkëmbi; Latifi, Nimaga, Berisha; Salihi
Dinamo Zagreb: 4-1-4-1 formation: Eduardo; Pivarić, Sigali, Šimunović, Pinto; Ademi; Pjaca, Rog, Machado, Soudani; Henríquez
Statistics
- Skenderbeu Korce have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 6 of their last 10 matches
- Dinamo Zagreb have won 4, drawn 6 and lost 0 of their last 10 matches
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Skenderbeu Korce have scored an average of 1.2 goals and conceded an average of 1.4 goals per game
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Dinamo Zagreb have scored an average of 2 goals and conceded an average of 0.8 goals per game
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 4 of Skenderbeu Korce’s previous 10 matches
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 4 of Dinamo Zagreb’s previous 10 matches
- This will be the first meeting between the two teams in a UEFA competition. Skenderbeu will be looking to be the first Albanian team to reach the group stages. Dinamo last reached this stage three years ago
Skenderbeu have been in shaky form during their last ten games, but have picked up some momentum recently. New signing Salihi has hit five Champions League goals since joining this summer, and he seems like their only hope if they are to overturn Dinamo Zagreb. Winning the Albanian Superliga by four points last season earned them their place in qualifying.
It is almost impossible to look beyond Dinamo in this tie, having not lost a game for nine months. Previous experience in the competition and goals coming from midfield and attack will make them odds on to win this game.
I’m expecting Dinamo Zagreb to win the game, however the Albanian fans could produce a very loud atmosphere therefore the Skenderbeu players will be up for the game. Dinamo will be looking to score at least two goals to take back to Croatia.