Aktobe take on the visitors Legia in the second leg of UEFA Europa League Qualification round of 1/8-finals. First leg result: 0-1. The match will be played on Thursday, July 17th at Koblandy Batyr Stadium (Aktobe).
Aktobe are trying to maintain a solid standing this season. The Red-and-Whites were founded back in 1967, but their rise to prominence came only in the last couple of decades. They won five league titles between 2005 and 2013 and added a second domestic cup last season. That cup triumph, combined with a third-place league finish, secured them a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers. However, they approach the European stage without a permanent head coach — Levchuk is currently serving as interim. Interestingly, this coaching switch brought a spark to the team, who rebounded from a poor run of one point in four games to earn back-to-back clean-sheet wins over Turan (3-0) and Atyrau (2-0). With the league now on hold, all focus has shifted to the continental challenge ahead.
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Legia lifted their first league title and domestic cup back in 1955 and have since built a rich trophy cabinet. However, their most recent league title came in 2021, and last season they managed only fifth place in the Ekstraklasa, collecting 54 points from 34 games. They did end their domestic campaign on a high note, reclaiming the Polish Cup for the 21st time in club history after a one-year gap. Nevertheless, the club opted for change and appointed Romanian coach Edward Iordănescu — fresh off a successful Euro 2024, where he led Romania to the knockout stages. His de facto debut came in last week's Conference League tie, where Legia edged past Aktobe with a 1-0 home win, courtesy of a first-half goal from Bichakhchyan. The Poles will now look to protect that narrow advantage in the return leg.
The two clubs previously met in the 2014 Europa League qualifiers. Legia won both matches to nil, scoring three goals across the two legs. The Kazakh side will be playing at home and should put up a strong fight. We’ll back them not to lose — and a draw would be enough for the Polish side to advance.
Prediction for the match: Legia not to lose (X2).
