Shelbourne vs FC Zurich Prediction and Betting Tips

Shelbourne welcome FC Zurich to Tolka Park for the second leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round on Thursday (August 1). The visitors hold a comfortable 3-0 lead in the tie following their home win in the first leg in Switzerland last week.

Nigerian midfielder Ifeanyi Matthew broke the deadlock in the opening seconds and assisted Antonio Marchesano in the 29th minute. The Italian forward completed his brace just before the hour mark.

Zurich followed up their continental victory with a 4-2 home win over Winterthur in the Swiss Super League. Bledian Krasniqi and Nikola Katic scored either side of Matteo Di Giusto to give them a 2-1 lead at the break. Marchesano and Juan Perea scored second-half goals to guide Zurich to victory.

Shelbourne, meanwhile, booked their spot at this stage of the qualifiers with a 3-2 aggregate victory over St Josephs, claiming a 2-1 home win in the first leg and drawing 1-1 away, while Zurich received a bye to this stage.

The winner of this tie will face Floriana or Vitoria Guimaraes in the next round of the qualifiers.

Shelbourne vs FC Zurich Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

Last week's clash was the maiden meeting between the two sides.
Five of Shelbourne's last six games across competitions have produced over 1.5 goals.
Zurich are competing in the UEFA Conference League for the first time.
Shelbourne's last eight games have witnessed six red cards and 56 yellow cards.
Four of Zurich's last five away games in UEFA club competitions have seen one side fail to score
Shelbourne's last five games have witnessed more goals scored in the first half than the second.

Shelbourne vs FC Zurich Prediction

Shelbourne are unbeaten in eight home games in UEFA competition qualifiers, winning five. However, their three-goal deficit might prove to be high a mountain to climb.

Zurich, for their part, have one foot in the next round of the qualifiers and have won their last seven games since last season. Expect the visitors to claim a narrow victory with goals at both ends.

Prediction: Shelbourne 1-2 Zurich

Shelbourne vs FC Zurich Betting Tips

Tip 1 - Zurich to win

Tip 2 - Both teams to score

Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals

Tip 4 - Highest scoring half: First half

About the author

Elvis is a seasoned football journalist and has been with Sportskeeda for more than 6 years. He specializes in writing match previews across several leagues and competitions around the world, and his insightful tips have amassed a total readership in excess of 9.2 million till date. Elvis' meticulous attention to detail and strictly following SK's editorial guidelines have been key to achieving a vast readership. He has also exclusively covered the 2021 Nigerian Universiy Games and has provided research for an upcoming biography for a Nigerian football legend.

Elvis has been a Super Eagles fan since 2004, and them beating defending champions Cameroon in the AFCON that year left a lasting impact on him. He supports Sporting Lagos at club level and loves to watch games live at the Onikan Stadium due to its buzzing atmosphere. His favorite football players are former Nigerian forward, Osaze Odemwingie and former Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez.

If Elvis could change one football rule, it would be to not be booked for celebrating with pitch side fans. He believes that football is a passionate game and celebrations should be encouraged to the fullest. When not analyzing the latest previews, Elvis indulges in activities such as swimming, reading, and karaoke.

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