Žalgiris Kaunas vs Arda prediction, H2H and probable lineups — August 7, 2025
FK Kauno Zalgiris
Arda Kardzhali
On August 7, 2025, the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round will see Žalgiris Kaunas face off against Arda. Kick-off is set for 18:00 Central European Time. Let’s take a closer look at the teams’ scoring prospects for this encounter.
Žalgiris Kaunas
Last season, Žalgiris Kaunas finished third in the Lithuanian league, earning a coveted spot in the Conference League. This year, the club has been even more impressive, leading the domestic championship by six points after 21 rounds.
Their European campaign began in the first qualifying round of the Conference League, where Žalgiris Kaunas confidently dispatched Welsh side Penybont—winning 3-0 at home and drawing 1-1 away. In the second round, they faced Icelandic club Valur: after a 1-1 draw at home, the Lithuanians clinched a crucial 2-1 away victory to advance.
Their latest match was in the national league, where they beat Žalgiris 2-1 away, stretching their remarkable unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 games. Particularly notable are their home performances: Žalgiris have not lost on their own turf for eight consecutive matches, winning seven and keeping clean sheets in six of those contests.
Žalgiris Kaunas have never previously faced Bulgarian side Arda, neither in official nor in friendly fixtures, making this their historic first-ever meeting.
Arda
Bulgarian club Arda have been delivering solid performances both domestically and on the European stage. Last season, they finished fourth in Bulgaria and secured their Conference League berth via the play-offs, defeating CSKA Sofia on penalties in the decisive match.
This season, Arda began their European journey against Finnish side HJK. The first leg at home ended in a goalless draw, while the return fixture in Finland saw Arda push the favorites to the limit, drawing 2-2 in regular time and progressing to the next round after a penalty shootout.
The Bulgarian side’s form is gradually improving—they are unbeaten in their last four matches. The domestic league is already underway: after a setback in the first round against CSKA Sofia 1948, Arda bounced back with a draw in their second match and then demolished Botev Plovdiv 5-0 in the third. They currently sit seventh in the standings with four points.
However, their away record remains a concern for fans. In their last eight matches on the road, Arda have managed just one win (against Botev), five draws, and two defeats.
Probable lineups
- Žalgiris Kaunas: Shvedkauskas, Ba-Traore, Tolordava, Hernandez, Iyobosa Edokpolor, Sirgedas, Pavlovic, Urega, Benchaib, Chogadze, Georgievic.
- Arda: Gospodinov, Gustavo Cascardo, Velev, Guseinov, Velkovski, Yusein, Idowu, Kotev, Kovachev, Nikolov, Karageren.
Interesting facts and head-to-head
- Žalgiris Kaunas have won 8 of their last 10 matches.
- Žalgiris Kaunas have won 7 of their last 8 home games.
- Three of Žalgiris Kaunas' last four matches have featured over 2.5 goals.
- Both teams have scored in four of Žalgiris Kaunas' last five matches.
- Arda have failed to win 7 of their last 8 matches.
- Four of Arda’s last five away games have seen over 2.5 goals.
- This will be the first-ever meeting between these clubs.
Žalgiris Kaunas vs Arda match prediction
Žalgiris Kaunas enter the first leg as slight favorites. The Lithuanian side are in top form and have been rock-solid at home, often keeping clean sheets. Their impressive home winning streak suggests Žalgiris will look to control proceedings and build a lead ahead of the return leg. Arda, on the other hand, are likely to approach the match with caution, knowing they still have a home tie to come and are unlikely to take risks from the outset. This points to a careful, low-scoring contest, with both teams focusing on defensive reliability and minimizing mistakes. My bet for this match is under 2.5 total goals at odds of 1.59.
