Conference League, Qualification, 2nd Round, Second Leg, Thursday, 07/31/2025, 8:15 p.m.
How many clubs from Switzerland will be represented in European competition in 2025/26? Our Conference League tips now focus on a team that has very little international experience.
They are trailing 1-2, but funnily enough are still clear favorites in the second leg. In my Lausanne Vardar Skopje tip, I would now like to urge you not to bet on a landslide victory, but rather on a +3 handicap for the visitors. Why? I’ll reveal that in my current analysis!
A quarter-final in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965 – older fans are still living off that. No, FC Lausanne is certainly not a club we have seen often on the international stage in recent years.
Lausanne is now trying its luck again for the first time since 2010/11, when it narrowly failed to qualify for the Europa League against Lokomotiv Moscow. How likely is it that it will make it through the third round this time?
The Swiss didn’t exactly get the result they wanted at Vardar Skopje, losing 1-2. A deserved defeat? Lausanne had more possession in the end, but with 2-6 shots on goal, their opponents were definitely more convincing.
The team proved that they can do much better offensively at the start of the new Super League season. This time, they faced Winterthur, and the final phase of the game produced a phenomenal decision.
Lausanne was already trailing 0-2. After the score was tied at 2-2 and Winterthur had to play the final minutes with one man down, the hosts struck coldly, with Gaoussou Diakité scoring his second goal of the game to secure the victory.
How do you analyze a team that has only played two competitive games so far this season, which is still in its infancy? Naturally, I take a quick look at the impressions from the test matches.
4:2 against Etoile Carouge and 1:2 against Nyonnaise, two goals conceded seem to be the norm. This naturally brings an interesting, somewhat risky bet to mind, namely that Skopje will score exactly two goals on Thursday.
Not a bad tip, because Skopje is not generally expected to do very well. Even betting on the Macedonians scoring at all is rewarded with odds of 1.75.
Given these figures, you can probably already guess that when it comes to 1×2 bets, there is one club that is ahead, and it won’t be Vardar Skopje.
On average, the odds are 10.5 to 1.25 for a win after 90 minutes. If you want to bet on who will advance, including extra time and penalties, the odds are 3.00 to 1.35.
That’s a pretty pessimistic assessment from our bookmakers, considering that Skopje has a narrow lead going into Switzerland. Are the visitors not competitive away from home?
Let me put it this way: they owe their survival in the first qualifying round to their home game. Skopje got off to such a good start against La Fiorita, winning 3-0, that the pressure was off.
In the second match, both teams agreed on a 2-2 draw. But, of course, in hindsight, one can only guess that Vardar might have exerted themselves more if they hadn’t already had one foot in the next round.
Six of the seven goals, a more than exciting fact, were scored in the second half. So I can confidently tell you that the bet “Skopje will score in the second half” is available at Betano at odds of 2.55.
Going into the second leg as clear favorites after a 1-2 defeat in the first leg? That’s quite a feat! FC Lausanne, which had a lucky but successful start to the Super League season, has been warned.
Vardar Skopje is an opponent that should not be underestimated, as the club from North Macedonia has already made it through the first qualifying round. In addition, the offense is in good form with seven goals.
As a result, I will certainly not be underestimating Thursday’s visitors. Lausanne will have their work cut out for them, and I don’t think we’ll see a home rout. Therefore, my prediction is:
A 3-0 handicap is enough for Skopje to “win”!
