Preview: 2015/16 UEFA Europa League – Second Qualifying Round

Kairat (Kazakhstan) – Alashkert (Armenia) 70-30
Kairat looks more solid, and probably stronger than St. Johnstone.

Jelgava (Latvia) – Rabotnicki (Macedonia) 55-45
Very balanced tie. I’d bet on Jelgava. They defeated Litex Lovech, that should be stronger than Rabotnicki, but football doesn’t work in this way.

Dacia Chisnau (Moldova) – Zilina (Slovakia) 45-55
Zilina is stronger, but a surprise is possible.

Randers (Denmark) – Elfsborg (Sweden) 50-50
I expect a very balanced tie without many goals. Elfsborg has more European tradition, but maybe Danish Leasue is a bit stronger than the Swedish one. Two years ago Elfsborg vs FCN was very balanced.

Skonto (Latvia) – Debrecen (Hungary) 50-50
Debrecen in stronger, but it looks weaker than the one we saw in Champions League and Europa League GS few years ago, while Skonto could be more solid. A small upset is possible.

Shakhtyor Soligorsk (Belarus) – Wolfsberger (Austria) 60-40
The Belarussian team looks more solid.

Hapoel Beer Sheva (Israel) – Thun (Switzerland) 50-50
It should be quite balanced. I can’t find a favorite.

Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic) – Stromsgodset (Norway) 50-50
Very balanced tie.

Cherno More Varna (Bulgaria) – Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) 55-45
As a recent EL GS participant, Dinamo Minsk should be favorite, but I expect a small surprise, despite the recent disappointing performances of Bulgarian teams in EL. It will be an open tie.

Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) – Trakai (Lithuania) 70-30
Apollon is stronger and should have no problem, despite Trakai being very convincing in ELQ1 (they played 11vs10 both legs)

Koper (Slovenia) – Hajduk Split (Croatia) 35-65
Hajduk is stronger and should advance, but it could be hard for them.

AIK (Sweden) – Shirak (Armenia) 70-30
AIK can be quite unpredictable. The could be able to dominate this tie, but they could also experience troubles.

Beroe (Bulgaria) – Brondby (Denmark) 45-55
Brondby will have to be very careful.

Charleroi (Belgium) – Beitar Jerusalem (Israel) 50-50
A balanced tie.

Kukesi (Albania) – Mladost Podgorica (Montenegro) 60-40
Mladost has been one of the surprises of ELQ1, but Kukesi should be more solid.

Vaduz (Liechtenstein) – Nomme Kalju (Estonia) 60-40
A good chance for Vaduz to reach ELQ3, but Nomme Kalju can be a very Dangerous threat: probably the best Estonian team in Europe.

Kobenhavn (Denmark) – Newtown (Wales) 95-5
No contest.

Lokomotiva Zagreb (Croatia) – PAOK (Greece) 40-60
PAOK is strongest, but Lokomotiva Zagreb could be Dangerous. A big upset is possible.

Trabzonspor (Turkey) – Differdange (Luxembourg) 80-20
There should be no contest. Almost every year teams from Luxemburg are able to cause an upset, Could Trabzonspor be the victim ? Dinamo Zagreb looks more likely.

Spartak Trnava (Slovakia) – Linfield (Northern Ireland) 65-35
Spartak Trnava should be stronger, despite not convincing in the previous Round. It won’t be a walk in the park for them.

Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) – UCD (Ireland) 85-15
The tie should be quite close.

Ferencvaros (Hungary) – Zeljeznicar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 50-50
I expect a very balanced tie.

Cukaricki (Serbia) – Qabala (Azerbaijan) 50-50
The same as above.

Vojvodina (Serbia) – Spartaks (Latvia) 65-35
Spartaks was very brilliant vs Buducnost, but Vojvodina should be on another level.

Jagiellonia (Poland) - Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus) 50-50
Very open tie.

Slask Wroclaw (Poland) – Goteborg (Sweden) 50-50
The same. One of the strongest and most balanced ties of this Round.

West Ham United (England) – Birkirkara (Malta) 80-20
This should be one of the closest ties of this Round. WHU could experience troubles only if they were too selfconfident and played with too many youngsters.

Inverness CT (Scotland) – Astra (Romania) 35-65
The Romanian team looks more solid, but Inverness last Season was quite brilliant.

Rijeka (Croatia) – Aberdeen (Scotland) 55-45
The Croatian team is a bit favorite, but Aberdeen won’t be an easy opponent.

Legia Warsaw (Poland) – Botosani (Romania) 65-35
Legia is favorite, but sometimes is unpredictable, so Botosani could be Dangerous for them.

Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) – Odd (Norway) 40-60
Odds BK should be stronger, but Shamrock Rovers will fight hard, and the tie could be quite open.

KR (Iceland) – Rosenborg (Norway) 35-65
Rosenborg is obviusly stronger and favorite, but in ELQ1 they weren’t too convincing against Vikingur, while KR qualified despite an early red card in the Second Leg, but anyway they are quite unpredictable, both in a positive and in a negative way. An upset in this tie wouldn’t shock me.

FH (Iceland) – Inter Baki (Azerbaijan) 60-40
A quite balanced tie. FH is a quite regular team, they could even be a bit favorite.