Shkendija hosts Kalju in the second leg of the Champions League qualification 1/8 finals. The match will be played on Tuesday, July 16th at National Arena Toshe Proeski (Skopje)
The first match of these teams was decisive for the duel: Kalju was obliged to achieve any advantage in the home arena because to get a positive result in North Macedonia is almost an impossible mission. However, even in Estonia, the underdog didn’t manage to gain at least a draw (0: 1). The outcome of the confrontation is clear. The return match should approve the difference in class between the teams. The difference in the game tone could give Kalju success in the first meeting: the Estonian championship is in full swing, and their opponent has not started the season yet. However, another factor played its role: now Kalju cannot boast of success in the local championship and vainly chases not only the leader, but also two more of its pursuers. Teams of this level are not accustomed to playing several games a week. As a result, the Estonians were very slow last Tuesday. The team did not hold the match at the weekend, but at the end of this week, the club will meet with the third team of the current local championship. It is logical to choose a much more realistic fight for the title in Estonia than fabulous European Cups.
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Shkendija prepares for the opponent as well as a week earlier. It has nothing to think about except the Champions League. To my surprise, the team played from a position of strength in the first match. Shkendija put down on an opponent for the whole game, shot from different positions, used set pieces. If there were slightly better conversion, luck, and also fewer saves of Kalju’s goalkeeper, the score could be much more convincing. Estonians, with modest support of more than 1,600 people in the stadium, tried to use long shots. Not surprisingly, the danger after such actions turned was not serious. Even if we see the exact same match as the week before, the necessary handicap can be recorded.
Kalju shows not a very confident away game even in the local championship (5-5-0), and in Europe, it turns to torture. Modest Stjarnan destroyed Estonians at home a year ago (3:0), and B-36 (the Faroe Islands, by the way) scored Kalju at home a little earlier. Traditionally, the team eliminates from the European Cups in the early stages. And finally, you can finish off the upcoming visitors with the coaching factor. The Ukrainian specialist has been working in Kalju only since spring. The coach of Shkendija largely built this team himself, went some distance with it and managed to play in European cups. He has been coaching for a long time, even if he worked only in the championship of Macedonia. He will motivate his guys to continue the trend set up a week ago and will point them to their mistakes. The final score is likely to be more convincing than in the first match.
Prediction for the match: Shkendija to win with -2.0 handicap
