Shakhtar Donetsk vs Ilves Prediction and Betting Tips

Shakhtar Donetsk will square off against Ilves at Stožice Stadium in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round on Thursday. Donetsk will play in the Europa League qualifiers for the first time since 2016. The visitors, meanwhile, are back in the competition after a five-year absence.

Donetsk played in the UEFA Champions League last season and were eliminated from the league phase. They will play their first competitive match of the season and concluded the last season on a seven-game unbeaten streak.

The visitors saw their winning streak end after two games last week as they were held to a 1-1 draw by SJK in the Veikkausliiga. Substitute Jardell Kanga equalized from the penalty spot in the second half. They were eliminated from the third round of the UEFA Conference League qualifiers last season.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Ilves Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

The two teams will meet for the first time.
Donetsk have won their last four games in the Europa League qualifiers. Notably, the wins were registered in the playoff stage. They have kept three clean sheets in that period.
The visitors are unbeaten in their last four away games, recording three wins and keeping three clean sheets.
Donetsk have seen over 2.5 goals in four of their last five games in European competitions.
Ipa are winless in their last 12 games in European qualifiers. They have been eliminated from the first qualifying round in their last two appearances in the Europa League in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons.
The Miners have conceded one goal apiece in their last three competitive games.
The visitors have conceded at least two goals in their last five away games in European qualifiers.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Ilves Prediction

The Miners are unbeaten in all competitions since April and will look to get their 2025-26 campaign underway with a win. They have won their last four games in the Europa League qualifiers, scoring nine goals.

The visitors have lost just one of their last six games, and they have scored at least two goals in five games in that period. They have lost their last five away games in European qualifiers.

Donetsk have the better record in European competitions and should be able to register a comfortable win.

Prediction: Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Ilves

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Ilves Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result - Shakhtar Donetsk to win

Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals

Tip 3: Both teams to score - Yes

Tip 4: At least one goal to be scored in the second half - Yes

About the author

Shubham is a football journalist with a wealth of experience. It was Zidane's infamous headbutt at the 2006 World Cup final that got him hooked on to the sport. Shubham contributed to the 2022 FIFA World Cup coverage at Sportskeeda, producing match previews and even minute-to-minute live blogs. Apart from writing articles, he is adept at fact-checking and researching trends, and at communicating with the editorial team.

For all fans, he has one message: "Football is my cup of tea, let's talk football over a cup of tea."

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