Makedonija vs CSKA Sofia Prediction and Betting Tips | 21st July

Makedonija will host CSKA Sofia at the FFM Training Centre 2 in Skopje, North Macedonia, on Thursday in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round.

The Lions achieved a fourth-place finish in their top-flight campaign last season to get here. They're looking to reach their first European club tournament group stage since the 2007 Intertoto Cup. Muharem Bajrami's side are coming off a 2-0 loss to APOEL Nicosia in a friendly on July 7, which was preceded by a 1-1 draw with Kosovan side Llapi on June 26.

Sofia, meanwhile, have kickstarted their league season. They picked up a resounding 3-0 victory over Arda on the opening day and followed that up with a 1-1 draw with Lokomotiv Sofia.

With four points from two games, the Reds are in third place in the league standings. Sofia are behind Ludogorets and Cherno More, who have picked up six points.

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The Bulgarian club are looking to seal their place in the Conference League group stage for the second year, having done so in the inaugural edition of the competition in 2021.

However, Sofia finished bottom of Group C after picking up just one point in six games, which came from a goalless stalemate against Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt. They'll hope to fare better if they get there again.

Makedonija vs CSKA Sofia Head-To-Head and Key Numbers

This will be the first official meeting between Makedonija and Sofia.
Sofia overcame Latvian side Liepaja 3-1 on penalties in last year's second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League
The Reds have scored four goals in their last two games across competitions.

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Makedonija have scored just once and conceded thrice in their last two games (friendlies).
In their last and only appearance in a major tournament, Makedonija faced Bulgarian side Cherno More Varna in the second round, which they lost 7-0 on aggregate.

Makedonija vs CSKA Sofia Prediction

Sofia are the more experienced side and have had competitive game time under their belt, having started their league campaign already.

Makedonija, meanwhile, have played only twice since the conclusion of their last league campaign and could fall short here. All signs point to a victory for the visitors.

Prediction: Makedonija 1-2 CSKA Sofia.