Maybe we should wait for a penalty shootout! Petrocub vs APOEL Prediction
One of the second leg matches in the second qualifying round of the Champions League will be played in Chișinău, where local team Petrocub will host Cypriot side APOEL at the Zimbru Arena. The first match between these teams in Cyprus ended with a narrow 1-0 victory for the home side, so everything will be decided in Chișinău. Here is the prediction for this match from the Dailysports expert team.
Petrocub
The "Black and Whites" pleasantly surprised last season, winning the gold medals in the Moldovan Championship and the national cup. Petrocub outperformed the most titled local club, Sheriff, by a full six points in the championship. In 10 championship matches, Petrocub remained unbeaten, securing 7 victories.
In the previous stage of qualification, the Moldovan club faced Kazakhstan's Ordabasy. In the first match in Kazakhstan, the "Black and Whites" pleasantly surprised by playing solidly in defense and keeping a clean sheet – 0:0. Petrocub's players were just as reliable in defense at home, winning 1:0. However, they couldn't withstand the pressure from APOEL in the away match and lost 0:1.
APOEL
The Cypriot team narrowly beat their main competitor, AEK, in their domestic league last season based on tiebreakers. The last time APOEL participated in the main round of European competitions was in the distant 2019/2020 season when, starting in the Champions League qualifiers, the Cypriots ended up in the Europa League and reached the playoff stage.
In preparation for the start of the Champions League qualification, APOEL played four friendly matches, defeating Spartak Subotica and drawing with Novi Pazar, Radnički 1923, and AEK Larnaca. In the first match against Petrocub, the Cypriots secured a 1:0 victory but conceded more dangerous chances.
Interesting Facts About the Match and Head-to-Head History
- The teams have not played against each other before.
- The "Total Under 2.5" bet played in the last three matches involving both APOEL and Petrocub.
- Both teams scored in three out of APOEL's last five matches.
Petrocub vs APOEL Prediction
Bookmakers are very cautious about this match and give roughly equal odds for either team to win. We believe that once again, a high-scoring game is unlikely. Our bet is "Total Under 2.5" with a coefficient of 1.60.
