Conference League Quali, 2nd round, second leg, Wednesday, 30.07.2024 at 20:30
The shock was only brief when Roope Riski scored the 2:0 goal for Ilves. Will the underdogs really progress against the Austrian runners-up? Shortly before the end, Austria were able to improve the situation with a 1-2 draw.
A win is needed in the second leg at least once to advance to extra time. With a two-goal lead, the Violets can save themselves a possible extra time or penalty shoot-out
Surprises are always possible at the start of the season if the established favorites do not yet have all the mechanisms working perfectly over an entire match, as was the case with Austria Vienna in the Conference League qualifiers.
In the first competitive match of the year, FK lost 2:1 at Finnish club Tampereen Ilves. The Austrians were the better team and tried to equalize by hook or by crook, but instead conceded a second shocker in the 88th minute.
At least the result could still be rectified, making the chase to catch up at least a little easier
The home win is a de facto bet with most bookmakers. At 1.32, the capital city team start the match as clear favorites, the Lynx are assigned 6.25, and the stake is quintupled in the event of a successful bet on a draw.
However, hardly anyone at Winamax believes in this. 99 percent of users have currently opted for the Austria win odds. Just one of many great features at the French bookie. Odds that are currently in particularly high demand are highlighted in color:
In addition, Winamax provides one of the best bonus offers on the market with free bet credit of up to 100 euros for new customers. The odds are high, especially when you consider that no betting tax is payable on the tickets.
Loyalty also pays off here in the form of free bets or merchandise products. You can simply exchange your accumulated “Miles” for rewards. A wide range of odds is available for the Austria Vienna v Ilves match
I find the 1.54 for the bet that Vienna will win and score first particularly interesting. After all, the hosts are in the role of the challengers. Ilves have already managed just eleven goals in front of their home crowd.
I expect a different outcome in the reunion. First of all, the Violets can count on the support of their own fans in the Generali Arena for the floodlit European Cup match. Austria is also clearly superior in terms of the squad, even if a few names are missing for the start of the season
However, Vienna has a lot more to offer across the board. New head coach Stephan Helm, who only took over at the start of the month, opted for a 4-3-3 against Ilves in the first leg.
In order to consolidate the system, he sent the same formation out onto the pitch again in the cup match against Saalfelden. For the 6:0 win against the third-division side Saalfelden, however, the team was rotated extensively.
A victory that also restored the mentality after the first leg defeat against Tampereen
Lüchse, like other Scandinavian clubs, have the advantage in this matchup that the team is perfectly in the rhythm of the competition. After all, they play through the summer, instead taking a break during the long, dark, cold winter. Tampereen have won two of their last three league games, sweeping aside HJK Helsinki 3-0 in the process.
HJK are currently still top of the table, with Ilves just five points behind with one game in hand. An exciting situation in the Finnish league, as Ilves are just fourth in the league table despite the narrow gap
In addition, the summer games are high-scoring. Seven times in a row, more than 2.5 goals were scored when the club was involved. After a weak last league season, Ilves qualified for the Conference League with their fourth cup win. In 1983, they won their only championship to date.
No well-known names play for the Finnish first division team. There are just six legionnaires in the squad. Away from home in 2024, things went slowly, with three wins from eight games and only scoring half as many goals as at home with twelve
Conclusion: Austria clearly have the stronger squad and can look back on a solid home record from last season. In the first leg against Ilves, they struggled to convert chances here and there.
But even away from home, the difference in quality was noticeable in many actions. I expect the hosts to have an even greater share of the game when they meet again at home in the Generali Arena and definitely expect a different outcome after 90 minutes.
In addition, the Viennese have scored the first goal in their last six of seven home games. The Lynx are better in rhythm, but do not have the stability to survive the away game unscathed, conceding six goals in the last three games.
My Austria Vienna Ilves tip: First goal & Victory Austria Vienna!