Hacken take on the visitors Zalgiris in the second leg of UEFA Europa League qualification semifinals. First leg result: 3-1. The match will be played on Thursday, August 17th at Bravida Arena (Gothenburg)
Hecken secured their first championship title last year. The Wasps were founded in 1940, precisely during the summer. However, it took quite a while for them to climb to Allsvenskan, usually only lasting 1-2 seasons. Only recently have they managed to break this unfavorable trend and start winning titles. Firstly, in 2016 and 2019, the team won the Swedish Cup. Moreover, in the previous season, they finally clinched their debut championship title. Thus, the Scandinavians entered the debut round of UEFA Champions League qualification. There, the Swedes overcame their first opponent, The New Saints (3-1 at home and 2-0 in Wales), but then they faced a two-match confrontation with Ki Klaksvik. Both matches ended in draws, 0-0 and 3-3, and in the penalty shootout, the representative of the Faroe Islands proved stronger. This sent Hecken to the UEFA Europa League, where they started with a victory in Lithuania. Newcomer Hrstic shone there, contributing with a brace and an assist, ultimately securing a 3-1 win. This leaves the Baltic team with minimal chances.
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Zalgiris (Vilnius) bids farewell to this tournament. The Green and Whites were a symbol of Lithuanian club football even during the Soviet era. After the restoration of independence, they couldn't consistently lead, but in 2022, they achieved their 10th championship. Currently, in the A-League, they surprisingly outperformed the favorite Panevezys. In the UEFA Champions League qualification, after narrowly defeating debutant Struga (2-1 in North Macedonia after a goalless draw at home), the Lithuanians faced a major club, Galatasaray. They put up a decent fight but were slightly edged by the Turks: 2-2 in Vilnius, and a 1-0 victory for the hosts in Istanbul. However, they struggled against the Swedes, suffering a 1-3 defeat at home. Now, even a minimal victory in Gothenburg won't be enough to force an overtime.
The clubs represent neighboring Baltic countries. However, they have not previously played even in friendly matches. Since the Swedes were stronger on the away leg, they are likely to win at home without a minimal margin. We recommend betting on the Scandinavians to beat their neighbors with a handicap of -1.0 goal.
Prediction for the match: Hacken to win with -1.0 handicap.
