Valur Reykjavik
- Valur Reykjavik have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 6 of their last 10 games.
- This looks like a matchup of two different footballing philosophies - with Valur usually employing a flexible 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system where they overload the wide areas and have full-backs that get into some advanced positions to create overloaded attacks.
HSK Zrinjski Mostar
- HSK Zrinjski Mostar have won 5, drawn 3 and lost 2 of their last 10.
- Zrinjski like to press high up the field in a high-intensity press, but then sit back and be compact and tough to break down.
- The only reason we aren't going with Zrinjski outright is because it is a first leg and they have only won 3 of their 6 away matches this season, albeit not losing either of their previous two road games.
Key Players
- Nemanja Bilbija
- 5 goals in their last 5 matches (of 8 total goals).
- Tryggvi Hrafn Haraldsson
- 2 of Valur's 5 in their most recent 5 matches.
Betting Insights
- Valur Reykjavik are favourites at 1.8 to beat HSK Zrinjski Mostar in the first leg of this UEFA Conference League qualification battle, but the visitors are 4.43, the draw is 3.8 and our selection for Thursday's encounter is Zrinjski or draw in the double chance market.
- Valur, who are the highest ranked side on the field, are coming into this fixture in poor form after three successive defeats.
- Zrinjski are 5 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats from their last 10 in all competitions, so are in much more solid form than Valur and should arrive in Iceland with an unbeaten record of three wins and two draws.
Prediction
A close game is expected, but we think Zrinjski have an edge because they're in the better form and Valur have suffered three consecutive defeats.
