Thursday 17/07/2014, 21:00, Europa League Qualifiers, Dundalk vs Hajduk Split

Dundalk vs Hajduk Split Preview

Leading the Irish Premier League is quite an accomplishment for Dundalk, even though plenty of rounds are yet to be play and they are tied for the lead with Cork City. Right now, the most pressing matter is winning the first leg of the Europa League Qualifier against Hajduk Split. The Croats have played before in this competition and know exactly how to tackle double legged round, emphasizing the importance of the home match.

Dundalk vs Hajduk Split Odds

At Bet-at-home

Dundalk 2.90, Draw 3.25, Hajduk Split 2.25

Dundalk vs Hajduk Split Tips

Dundalk started the regular season on a positive note and somehow managed to keep up the tempo, accumulating 43 points in the process. Even though they played 13 matches since early May, they managed to avoid defeat in 12 games and are currently riding a three-game winning streak.

The reason for why they sit at the top of the Irish Premier League is that they have the best offensive, with 45 goals scored in 19 rounds. Add to this the fact that their defenses are only second to Cork City and it is pretty easy to realize why none of their competitors managed to overtake them so far.

The most prolific striker for Dundalk is Hoban with 10 goals, followed by Towell and Horgan who have scored a combined 12 goals. Interesting enough, the last two are actually midfielders, with Hoban being expected to pair upfront with Bryne who has scored four goals so far. In a nutshell, the hosts have an overly aggressive team even though their starting formation reads 4-4-2.

By comparison, the Croats have had a hard time winning consecutive games, with the last back-to-back victories happening in late February. They lost three of the last four championship games and on each occasion they were held scoreless by opponents who scored a total of seven goals. The only friendly game played so far was more of a joke, against a team playing several divisions below Hajduk Split.

Key Facts

• Dundalk lost just twice in the last 27 games, each time by 1-0 and won 10 of the last 12 matches
• Hajduk Split traded their top scorer from 2013 to Chelsea and will only use Maglica up front tonight

Dundalk vs Hajduk Split Prediction

The visitors will be playing defensive football, with a single striker and hoping to win all the points in the second leg. This is a risky strategy that the hosts could take advantage of and with the odds standing at even value with Bet-at-home, it makes perfect sense to place a Dundalk Draw no Bet wager. Just as the name suggests, if the result is a draw, players are reimbursed.

Bet: Dundalk Draw no Bet @ 2.05 with Bet-at-home