Shamrock Rovers and Tuesday's opponents KF Egnatia are both on a recovery mission after being eliminated from UEFA Champions League qualifying and there may not be much between them in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie.
Rovers are top of the table in the League of Ireland Premier Division but were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by Ararat-Armenia.
KF Egnatia went even closer to progressing in the top-level tournament but they went out in a penalty shootout against NK Celje of Slovenia after drawing 3-3 at home and 2-2 away.
Shamrock Rovers v KF Egnatia Tips Summary
Best Bet - KF Egnatia or Draw - Double Chance @ 5/6
Alternative Bet - Both teams to score @ 8/11
Bet Builder - Over 2 goals & Half-time correct score 1-1 @ 9/1
Shamrock Rovers v KF Egnatia Prediction
Best Bet: KF Egnatia or Draw - Double Chance @ 5/6
Shamrock Rovers regained the League of Ireland title last season and, while their UEFA Champions League hopes have been dashed, their new target is to qualify for the league phase of the Europa League.
Their next obstacle on that path comes in the form of Albanian side KF Egnatia, who are capable of proving worthy challengers to the Dublin side at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday.
Egnatia went out after extra-time at this stage of the competition last season after a 2-2 aggregate draw with Olimpija Ljubljana and they have not been beaten in 90 minutes in any of their last eight European fixtures.
After winning the Albanian title for the third successive season, the club from Rrogozhine started out in the UEFA Champions League with a 7-2 aggregate win over Moldovan side Petrocub, then went toe-to-toe with Celje over two close matches before their exit on penalties.
While Rovers are more battle hardened as they lead the League of Ireland by seven points after 26 matches, it has not all been plain sailing as they have suffered five league losses already and were held to a goalless draw by lowly Drogheda in their latest outing on Friday.
Rovers' World Cup star Pico Lopes of Cape Verde was sent off late in that match - his second red card of the season - but is eligible for this game.
Stephen Bradley's team have a strong home record, winning nine of their first 12 home league games as well as European clashes with Floriana and Ararat-Armenia.
However, Egnatia may prove to be the strongest side to have visited them this season and offer some value to avoid defeat in the double-chance market.
Alternative Bet: Both teams to score @ 8/11
While the outcome of this contest is not easy to call, a case can be made for both sides scoring in the Tallaght encounter.
Rovers have scored in all 14 of their home matches this season, including two 1-1 draws and a 2-1 defeat to Sligo Rovers in May and, while they have drawn a blank in three successive away games against Floriana, Ararat-Armenia and Drogheda, they should expect to get on the scoreboard at home.
Egnatia have yet to be denied in four outings this season, notching 12 goals in total, but also conceding seven times. Both teams have scored in every game they have played this season and that pattern can continue.
Shamrock Rovers v KF Egnatia Bet Builder Tip
- Over 2 goals
- Half-time correct score 1-1
Pays 9/1
For a simple two-leg Bet Builder on Tuesday's match, start by taking there to be more than two goals in the game at Tallaght Stadium.
Egnatia have had a 6-1 win and a 3-3 draw already this season despite playing only four times, while Rovers' last three home games have produced totals of four, six and three goals.
To really boost the odds, combine that by taking at least two of the required goals to be scored in the first half, with a 1-1 half-time correct score.
A close contest is likely and Egnatia have had a half-time score of 1-1 in three of their four European outings so far.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
- Shamrock Rovers are top of the League of Ireland by seven points
- Egnatia have won the Albanian title in each of the last three seasons
- Rovers have lost only one of their 12 home league games this season
- Three of Egnatia's four matches this season have been draws after 90 minutes
- Both teams have scored in all four of Egnatia's games this season
- Shamrock Rovers defender Pico Lopes has been sent off twice this season
Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.
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.
