AEK (home)
- AEK have been a steady, if not spectacular side lately, with 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss in their last 5 matches (3W, 4D, 3L in last 10).
- Javi Rozada has clearly turned AEK into a compact, structure-first unit, which sit deep, allow opponents to have the ball in large areas of the field, and then look to punish them on the break or from set-pieces when they lose possession.
- A 2-2 draw with Pafos FC was a typically cagey fixture in Cyprus, which was followed by a 4-3 win at Aris Limmasol.
Beitar (away)
- Beitar are a much more energetic, front-foot team under Almog Cohen.
- Beitar's last 5 games have been a 1-3-1 run and illustrates how disciplined they are away from home, but also how blunt they can be in the attacking third.
- Beitar will need to try and stretch AEK wide, as their 4-3-3 system is designed to attack the flanks, and they need to play at a tempo that the home side can't live with.
Key Players
Riad Bajic, who has scored 4 of AEK's 8 goals in their last 5 games, is a livewire, while Beitar don't really have anyone quite as prolific.
Betting Insights
- The market has AEK Larnaca as narrow favorites at 1.88 for this UEFA Conference League qualification opener against Beitar Jerusalem, who are listed at 4.07, with the draw at 3.7.
- The under 2.5 goals wager is coming in at 1.91 and both teams to score - yes is at 1.72, which is a similar kind of price and both seem like the best bets here.
Prediction
- In short, this will be a chess game between a very good press and an equally good block and it could go either way.
- AEK are slightly the more likely to nick it, but this will be a cagey match and one big moment could decide it.
