Will Maccabi make a comeback against FC Sheriff?
FC Sheriff Tiraspol are on course for the third round of Champions League qualification. After a troublesome comeback in the first round against Farul Constanta, the Moldovan record champions started the second round of CL qualifying with a win against Maccabi Haifa. They now face the second leg this week.
For this, FC Sheriff is the guest in Haifa, Israel, and is the underdog – at least according to the best bookmakers. Our Maccabi Haifa vs. Sheriff Tiraspol tip does not rule out a surprise in favour of the guests from Moldova.
Maccabi Haifa were already in a bad way against FC Sheriff last week and were miserably defeated. The Israelis had more of the game and created more chances, but Sheriff Tiraspol were more effective in taking their chances. Maccabi are now under pressure to win the second leg if they are to force extra time against Sheriff FC.
The Green-Whites from Haifa reached the group stage of the Champions League last season via the qualification route. This year, however, it will be difficult to make it into the group stage of the top flight. Especially since a prediction on the Israelis in the second round match between Maccabi Haifa vs. Sheriff Tiraspol is already risky.
Maccabi Haifa – Statistics & current form
After a promising start to the season, which saw Maccabi Haifa win three competitive games in a row, the Israeli champions folded and lost the first leg of their Champions League second round qualifier against FC Sheriff as supposed favourites. In the second leg, Maccabi must now win by at least two goals to advance to the next round in regulation time.
An easy win, on the other hand, beckons extra time. Maccabi not only lost the first leg in Tiraspol, but also failed to score. It would therefore be all the more surprising if a clear victory beckoned in the second leg. The tendency is for another low-scoring encounter between the two clubs and therefore a Maccabi Haifa vs Sheriff Tiraspol prediction of under 2.5 goals.
Although Maccabi did not make a good impression in the first leg, the Israeli champions are confident going into the second leg in front of their home crowd. After all, the Green-Whites did not lose a single Champions League qualifying match at their own stadium last year. Maccabi even won two out of three matches.
Can Maccabi break down the Moldovan defence this time?
Maccabi Haifa have won each of their last eight home games season and competition-wide since February 2023. The Green-Whites have recorded two of those eight victories this season. After a 2-1 win at home in the last qualifying round, Maccabi also had a victory to cheer at home in the Israeli Super Cup. Maccabi even beat Beitar Jerusalem 3:1.
Nevertheless, after the mixed performance of the Green-Whites, it is risky to bet on the home side in the second leg between Maccabi Haifa and Sheriff Tiraspol. Especially as the odds on a win are only 1.44 anyway.
Head coach Messay Dego will only have to do without Zaarura and Menahem. There are no other absentees on the host side. Dego is likely to field the same starting eleven that was used in Tiraspol last week.
Predicted line-up of Maccabi Haifa:
Nitzan; Sundgren, Seck, Goldberg, Cornud; Haziza, Naor, Mohamed, Saba, Chery; Pierrot
Sheriff Tiraspol – Statistics & current form
FC Sheriff Tiraspol pulled off a coup against favourites Maccabi Haifa with a narrow win in front of their home crowd, setting them on course for the next round. The performance of the Moldovan defensive bulwark was particularly commendable, as their Israeli opponents failed to score against Sheriff FC last week.
If head coach Roberto Bordin’s team can build on that, Sheriff FC have a realistic chance of pulling off a surprise coup in the return match against Maccabi Haifa. After all, the Israelis will have to risk much more this time to realise their comeback against Sheriff Tiraspol.
If the Moldovan record champions take advantage of those free spaces for quick counterattacks, it is probably only a matter of time before FC Sheriff score for the first time in the second leg against Maccabi Haifa. There is enough offensive power in the ranks of the “Osy”. Already in the previous round against Farul Constanta, Sheriff flexed their offensive muscles and won 3:0
Finishes Sheriff’s recent record on foreign soil?
Internationally, the Moldovan record champions have won only two of their last twelve away matches. The “Osy” have recorded both wins in their last four away matches. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether FC Sheriff will also improve on their recent record away from home against Maccabi Haifa or experience a relapse to away weakness.
Head coach Bordin will be able to draw on a full complement of players for the encounter in Haifa. The Italian is likely to field the same starting eleven that mastered the first leg against Maccabi last week. Talal’s two goals have made him FC Sheriff Tiraspol’s top scorer so far in the current 2023/24 CL qualifiers, and the Moroccan may well score again this time.
Predicted line-up of Sheriff Tiraspol:
Koval; Zohouri, Tovar, Garananga, Apostolakis; Fernandes, Kyabouu, Ademo, Talal; Henrique, Mbekeli
Maccabi Haifa – Sheriff Tiraspol Direct comparison / H2H balance
Maccabi Haifa and Sheriff Tiraspol met for the first time ever last week. Sheriff FC won the premiership clash against Maccabi Haifa 1-0 to lead the H2h against the Israelis 1-0-0.
Maccabi Haifa – Sheriff Tiraspol Tip
Maccabi Haifa are under pressure to win after last week’s defeat. The visitors from Moldova, on the other hand, can punch their ticket to the third round of Champions League qualification with just a draw in Haifa. It is therefore obvious that FC Sheriff will not risk much in the second leg against Maccabi and will instead look for counter-attacking chances.
In the first leg, the defensive bulwark of FC Sheriff already defied the Israeli champions. The “Osy” kept their clean sheet and also set the necessary accents in the offensive game themselves to set the course for the next round with a 1:0 victory.
FC Sheriff Tiraspol have the best chance of reaching the next round of CL qualifying after a promising performance in the first leg. To do so, the Moldovan record champions just need to build on last week’s strong performance. We even trust the “Osy” to pull off another coup – even on foreign soil.
Our Maccabi Haifa vs. Sheriff Tiraspol prediction targets “X2 & Over 1.5 goals” in the match at betting odds of 4.45. We use three out of ten possible units for this. The best odds for our prediction are currently offered by Betano.
