Will FC Sheriff advance to the next round?
New season, new fortune – FC Sheriff started their next adventure in the top flight last week, earning a well-deserved draw at Bosnian champions HSK Zrinjski Mostar in the first round of the ongoing 2022/23 CL qualifiers. This week, the sheriff from Moldova now faces the return match in their own stadium.
As expected, Sheriff Tiraspol will start as favourites. The guests from Bosnia are, after all, an unknown quantity on the international stage. So far, Zrinjski have never qualified for the group stage of a UEFA European Cup. It is quite possible that the Bosnian representatives will fail miserably in the qualifiers again this year.
The match in Tiraspol is a real acid test for HSK Zrinjski Mostar after all. For almost three years, FC Sheriff have not lost a home match in European Cup qualifying. In their last six home games in a CL or EL qualifier, the Moldovans even have a record of 5-1-0.
If the Moldovan representatives can secure another home win, the odds on Sheriff Tiraspol vs. Zrinsjki for tip 1 will be in the 1.70 range. The team of head coach Stjepan Tomas only needs to improve its offensive play. After all, the defensive bulwark already made a strong impression last week.
Sheriff Tiraspol – Statistics & current form
FC Sheriff Tiraspol not only bagged their 20th championship in the Moldovan National Division last season, but also won the national cup to complete the season double for the first time since the 2018/19 season.In the league, it was the seventh consecutive league title for FC Sheriff.
The record champions from Tiraspol thus once again won the right to qualify for the top flight. Last season, FC Sheriff caused a sensation in this competition. Not only because the club made it to the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in its history, but also because it defeated a number of top European teams.
Sheriff Tiraspol had already defied two top teams in the qualifiers, Red Star and Dinamo Zagreb. In the group stage, on the other hand, surprise coups against teams like Real Madrid and Shakhtjor Donetsk followed. This year, Sheriff Tiraspol are now aiming for the next fairytale in the top flight.
Will the home strength be underlined against Zrinjski?
FC Sheriff already played the first leg in the first round of the CL qualifiers last week. Against HSK Zrinjski Mostar, the reigning Bosnian champions, Sheriff Tiraspol drew goalless away from home. At home, FC Sheriff can therefore qualify for the next round with a narrow victory.
Last year, the Moldovan record champions won every home match in the Champions League qualifiers. After compulsory matches against Teuta and Alashkert, Sheriff Tiraspol surprised against teams like Red Star Belgrade and Dinamo Zagreb. Against the Croatian record champions, FC Sheriff even celebrated a 3-0 home victory.
Since last season, however, a lot has changed in the Sheriff Tiraspol squad. Some of the top players left during the summer break. In addition, there has also been a new head coach since summer 2022: Stjepan Tomas. The Croatian took over the team almost a month ago and played his first match as the new head coach of FC Sheriff last week.
Predicted line-up of Sheriff Tiraspol:
Abalora – Kpozo, Radeljic, Kiki, Renan Guedes – Lushkja, Kyabou, Badolo – Ouattara, Akanbi, Yansane
Last matches played by Sheriff Tiraspol:
Champions League Qualifier
07/07/2022 – Zrinjski Mostar 0 – 0 FC Sheriff
Cup
21/05/2022 – FC Sfintul Gheorghe 0 – 1 FC Sheriff
National Division
14/05/2022 – FC Sfintul Gheorghe 0 – 2 FC Sheriff
07/05/2022 – FC Milsami Orhei 1 – 1 FC Sheriff
29/04/2022 – Dinamo-Auto 0 – 3 FC Sheriff
Zrinjski – Statistics & current form
The first leg against FC Sheriff could not have gone worse for HSK Zrinjski Mostar. Despite home advantage, the Bosnian record champions only managed a meagre draw. For the first time since 2018, they failed to win an international match at home. Before that, Zrinsjki celebrated four home wins in a row in their own stadium during the UEFA European Cup qualifiers.
The Bosnian representatives now face a real test away from home. Since 2013, HSK Zrinsjki Mostar have won only two of their last 13 away matches on the international stage. However, bettors who want to back the visitors from Bosnia in the Sheriff Tiraspol vs. Zrinsjki match can get odds of 5.00 on HSK to win.
Considering how weak Zrinjski’s attack has been against the defensive bulwark of FC Sheriff, betting on a surprise coup by the Bosnian guests in Tiraspol is more than risky. Throughout the match, Zrinsjki Mostar failed to get a single shot on target against FC Sheriff in the first leg
Can Zrinsjki break down the Moldovan defensive bulwark this time?
Surprisingly, the Bosnian attacking unit put in a poor performance. Last season, Zrinski had the best attack in the domestic Premier League with 74 goals in 33 matchdays and an average of more than two goals per league match. Nemanja Bilbija played a major part in this.
The 31-year-old veteran was not only Zrinsjki’s top scorer with 34 goals, but also the top scorer in the Bosnian top flight. Bilbija will therefore continue to play a leading role in the attack this season. On the other hand, players like Hadzic and Juranovic are currently missing in the attacking department due to injury.
In the absence of both players, Cuze, Jukic and Ticinovic are expected to remain in the starting eleven. There is also enough room for rotation, after all HSK Zrinsjki has strengthened itself considerably with a total of twelve new arrivals.
Predicted line-up of Zrinjski:
Condric – Bekic, Barisic, Magdic, Corluka – Sucic, Savic – Cuze, Jukic, Ticinovic – Bilbija
Last matches played by Zrinjski:
Champions League Qualifier
07/07/2022 – Zrinjski Mostar 0 – 0 FC Sheriff
Premier League
28/05/2022 – Rudar Prijedor 0 – 2 Zrinjski Mostar
21/05/2022 – Zrinjski Mostar 1 – 0 FK Leotar
15/05/2022 – Posusje 2 – 2 Zrinjski Mostar
11/05/2022 – Zrinjski Mostar 1 – 1 FK Velez Mostar
Sheriff Tiraspol – Zrinjski Direct comparison / H2H balance
Last week FC Sheriff Tiraspol and HSK Zrinjski Mostar met for the first time in their club history. For FC Sheriff it was the third match against a team from Bosnia. So far, Sheriff Tiraspol have never won a competitive match against a Bosnian team. In three attempts, Sheriff have a record of 0-2-1.
Sheriff Tiraspol – Zrinjski Tip
With last week’s goalless draw, HSK Zrinjski’s chances of reaching the next round of Champions League qualification have shrunk. In order to punch their ticket for the second round of CL qualification in the regular season, Zrinsjki Mostar must win their match at FC Sheriff Tiraspol.
Because the Bosnian record champions have hardly been convincing away from home on the international stage in recent years, HSK Zrinjski face a real mammoth task in Tiraspol. Especially as FC Sheriff won every home match in the qualifying rounds for the top flight last season.
We expect a home win for FC Sheriff this time as well. Last week, the Moldovan representative’s defensive bulwark kept the Balkan attack at bay for 90 minutes. It is quite possible that this will be continued in the return match.
With a stake of five units, we place our bet on FC Sheriff Tiraspol vs. Zrinsjki Mostar at reasonable odds on a home victory for the Moldovan sheriff.
