Conference League Quali, 2nd round, first leg, Wednesday, 24.07.2024 at 18:00
The Conference League qualifiers enter the second round. FC Riga and Slask Wroclaw, among others, will battle it out. It is the first meeting between the two teams.
The Latvian cup winners are in full flow and have already played 23 league games. Their record is impressive, as the hosts are currently second in the Latvian first division.
Slask Wroclaw, on the other hand, have played no more than one league game and that without a win (1:1 against Lech Gdansk). For my Riga Slask Wroclaw betting tip, I had a look at Bet365 and opted for a bet on “Both teams to score: No” with odds of 1.80.
A look at the best sports betting apps quickly makes it clear: this match-up is on a par! The hosts probably have a slight advantage due to their home game and receive odds of up to 2.45 to win.
Slask Wroclaw, reigning runners-up in the Polish Ekstraklasa, will travel to the Skonto Stadium after the first league matchday with betting odds of up to 2.85. For me, this game is too tricky for win odds, which is why I’d rather focus on other betting options.
As you can obviously read above, I favor a bet on “Both teams to score” for my Riga Slask Wroclaw betting tip: No”. There are several reasons for this:
My first glance is on the performance of both teams in their national leagues. I noticed that Riga FC, currently second in the Virsliga, have a fantastic defense.
The reigning Latvian cup winners have finished more than 50 percent of their games this season without conceding a goal (52 percent). No league rival has a better figure on paper!
If you break down the matches played into home and away games, you will find even clearer indications that speak for a match without goals on both sides
As of now, FC Riga have played eleven league home matches. Nine out of eleven matches have been won and no more than four goals have been conceded!
This is a first explanation for the rather low odds of under 1.70 on “Under 2.5 goals” in the match. With an odds boost, you can still include this bet in your ticket.
However, the home side are only half the battle. Slask Wroclaw is also a team with which you can combine defensive structure and discipline
The Polish runners-up had as many points as champions Jagiellonia Bialystok last season (63), but could not keep up with the goal difference of +32 (+19).
However, the visitors were unsurpassed in building a wall in front of their own penalty area. Actually, the saying goes “You must be eleven friends”. However, the Polish representative may have turned this saying into “Eleven masons you shall be”. At least they haven’t conceded more than 31 goals in 34 league games
Last season, FC Riga tried their hand in the Conference League qualifiers. There, the Latvians only failed in the third round against Twente Enschede (0:2, 0:3).
RFC have played a total of six qualifying matches – four of them without goals on either side. Simo Valakari’s team finished three of these four games without scoring a goal of their own
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of this match ending in a complete draw and going into the second encounter without any goals scored.
The success of both teams is based above all on their secret defensive skills. Riga, for example, have kept 73% of their home games this season without conceding a goal!
For the visitors, looking at the league competition after one completed matchday does not yet help. However, the preparation matches have confirmed the focus on defensive work
Four out of five test matches were played without either side scoring. In three of these four games, it was the Polish runners-up who did not concede a goal.
I also refer once again to the past season in Poland. No other team in the league kept a clean sheet more often than Slask Wroclaw (13) in the 2023/2024 season.
In turn, seven teams created more big chances than Jacek Magiera’s team (37).
A festival of chances with lots of goals is a scenario I can’t imagine for this game.
Both teams attach great importance to their defenses, which are a top priority for the coaches.
In addition, Riga in particular have already shown that games without conceding a goal are the rule rather than the exception.
My Riga Slask Wroclaw tip: “Both teams will NOT score”
