MATCH PREVIEW Rapid Vienna 2-0 Spartak Moscow (Europa League – Group Stage) ::: – ::: FREE SOCCER TIPS

FREE SOCCER TIPS
20 September, 17:55
EUROPE: Europa League – Group Stage – Round 1
Rapid Vienna 2-0 Spartak Moscow

TIPS: Over 1.5 Goals | Odds: 1.33 | Result: 2:0 WIN!!!

Match Preview

Following two months and 314 qualification fixtures, 178 teams now become 48 as Rapid Vienna host Spartak Moscow in the group stages of the Europa League.
Two-time Cup Winners Cup winners Rapid Vienna failed to qualify for Europe last season for the first time since 2003 but had no problem dispatching Slovan Bratislava 5-2 and Steaua București 4-3 on aggregate. Domestically, Vienna (W2, D3, L2) boss Goran Djuricin oversaw a 2017/18 third-place finish and the team currently lay in seventh, trailing Salzburg by 12 points, and are winless in two.
Over 1,200 miles away, Spartak Moscow enter this European feature off the back of a domestic loss and draw (W4, D2, L1). The ‘People’s Team’ were beaten 3-2 (agg.) by PAOK Athens in the Champions League qualifiers and now – as a result of format changes – enter the Europa League.
In their leagues, under their respective managers, Spartak have 1.9 points-per-game (80 games) to Rapid’s 1.7 (63), and with Spartak having the better goal difference by just one goal, a problematic draw could await in a tie that neither will want to lose.
With re-emerging Rangers and Villareal waiting, both teams will want to reserve energy at this stage, and Spartak have played four fewer games this season.
Players to watch: With 48 goals in 151 games for Rapid, Deni Alar has five goals, two assists in eight domestic fixtures and has six career goals from 23 Europa League appearances.
Banned Luiz Adriano will be a big miss for Spartak, so Lorenzo Melgarejo may get the nod. He has one goal from three league games and has scored five European goals from 29 appearances.
Stat attack: Three of Rapid’s four European games have seen both teams scoring, one of two for Spartak.
Spartak were beaten 4-3 (agg.) in the 1/16-finals in 2017/18 (EL).
Expect cards – these teams’ last two European games drew 24 yellow cards and three dismissals (in total).

Match Preview by FlashScore.com