Larne made history the last time they had to play Lincoln Red Imps and the Invermen will be hoping another showdown with the champions of Gibraltar leads to more riches.
It was at this very same play-off stage of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League that Larne and the Red Imps met, with the east Antrim outfit prevailing 4-3 on aggregate to become the first side from Northern Ireland to qualify for the group/league phase of a major European club competition.
That prize is once again up for grabs between two clubs who started out this summer in the UEFA Champions League before being demoted via the Europa League to the Conference League.
Lincoln Red Imps v Larne Tips Summary
Best Bet - Correct Score 0-0 @ 9/1
Alternative Bet - Draw @ 5/2
Bet Builder - Draw or Larne Double Chance, Under 3 Goals, Half With Most Goals - Tie @ 9/2
Lincoln Red Imps v Larne Prediction
Best Bet: Correct Score 0-0 @ 9/1
Lincoln Red Imps have scored one goal in their last four matches, while Larne have netted just once in their last five.
These are two sides struggling to score goals and in the heat of Gibraltar, and with the stakes sky-high for both, expect a tense, tight and possibly goal-free affair at Europa Point Stadium.
The Red Imps have already had one 0-0 draw at home - against Swedish champions Mjallby - while two of Larne's last three games have ended 0-0, most recently on Saturday in their league opener against Coleraine.
Alternative Bet: Draw @ 5/2
Some punters are naturally queasy about backing a game to finish goalless - or indeed under any match goals total - because it is anathema to football fans to want a game to be uneventful.
The alternative in this case, therefore, might be to back the draw.
Three of the Red Imps’ last five games have ended all-square and Larne have drawn two of their last three, so again the stats are very much in our favour.
Lincoln Red Imps v Larne Bet Builder Tip
Draw or Larne Double Chance
Under 3 Goals
Half With Most Goals - Tie
Pays 9/2
Larne have won away in Europe this season, 1-0 at Tre Fiori of San Marino.
They were also impressively competitive against a very dangerous Iberia 1999 of Georgia, who pushed Slovan Bratislava hard in the UEFA Champions League.
The Invermen have little to fret over in Gibraltar where they can avoid a loss.
The Red Imps' last three games have produced just three goals, Larne have had two 0-0s in their last three so go under three goals.
And few goals, as we always know, increases the likelihood of the half with most goals ending in a tie.
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Key Match Stats
Larne, the Northern Ireland champions, and Lincoln Red Imps, champions of Gibraltar, have dropped out of both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League to reach this stage
The Red Imps beat Andorra's Inter Club d'Escaldes 4-2 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League before losing 3-0 on aggregate to Mjallby. They lost 2-1 to Omonia of Cyprus in the Europa League third qualifying round
Larne beat San Marino's Tre Fiori (3-1 agg) and lost to Red Star Belgrade (9-0) in the UEFA Champions League. They then lost to Iberia 1999 of Georgia 2-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round
Since 2021/22, the Red Imps have lost just four of 11 home European ties and are unbeaten in three on home soil this season
Larne have won only two of their last 17 away games in Europe, but the second of those was this season's 1-0 success at Tre Fiori
These clubs met at this stage of the 2024/25 Conference League with Larne winning 4-3 on aggregate; the Northern Irish side lost the away leg (in Portugal) 2-1
Larne opened their domestic season with a 0-0 draw at Coleraine on Saturday meaning they are now winless in five games
There have been 29 yellow cards in LRI's six European matches this season at 4.8 cards per game
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
