Rakow take on the visitors Arda in the first leg of UEFA Conference League Qualification final round. The match will be played on Thursday, August 21st at Miejski Stadion Piłkarski Raków (Częstochowa).
Rakow looked simply outstanding last season. Strangely enough, they only narrowly missed out on becoming champions, finishing just one point behind Lech in the standings. This year the squad still looks strong on paper, but the team has created a lot of problems for itself at the start of the campaign. They confidently passed Zilina in the first Champions League qualifying round, but in the domestic league they have already suffered two defeats. The beginning of their clash with Maccabi was also disastrous, as they lost at home without scoring. Only recently have they shown some signs of stability, thanks to a comeback against the Israeli side. At home, however, Rakow still look far from convincing. Despite a strong roster, their inconsistency has raised doubts about their true level. Even their recent wins have come with a lot of struggle, which makes it hard to fully trust them.
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Arda didn’t even come through the champions’ path but managed to edge CSKA in the decisive match, despite the Sofia giants being clear favorites. The team from Kardzhali has started this season very well, relying largely on fighting spirit. They overcame HJK with sheer determination, and in the domestic league they started decently too, losing only the opener to CSKA before picking up points consistently. What stood out most was their surprisingly easy elimination of Kauno Zalgiris, without conceding a single goal across the two legs. Right now, Arda are on a four-match streak without conceding at all, showing impressive defensive discipline. Their ability to stay compact and frustrate opponents has made them a tricky side to play against. Confidence within the squad is high, and their solid defense gives them a real chance to cause problems here.
Rakow are still considered favorites for this encounter, but it’s hard to claim they are clearly stronger than their opponent. Their current form is shaky, with two straight wins not enough to hide the poor start in the Polish league. They come off a very tough match against Termalica and have struggled to score goals at home this season. Today they will also be without Kochergin, which is a notable loss in midfield. As for Arda, their style remains built on strong defense, just as last season. In only one of their four European matches this summer have they conceded. Even away from home, they prefer to play cautiously and rely on counterattacks. Kracunov and Zhekov are both injured and will miss this game. The two sides have never met before, and given Rakow’s modest attacking output, it feels like a single goal could decide the tie. Neither team is likely to force the issue, making this a tense, low-scoring battle.
Prediction for the match: Under 3.0 scored goals.
