Pristina vs Sheriff prediction, H2H and probable lineups — July 17, 2025
FC Prishtina
On Thursday, July 17, in the second leg of the Europa League first qualifying round, Pristina will host Sheriff at home. The first match ended with a convincing 4-0 victory for the Moldovan side. I'm backing a bet on goals in this game.
Key facts and head-to-head history
- Pristina have won just 4 of their last 10 matches.
- Pristina have never advanced to the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
- Sheriff have not lost a competitive fixture since September 8 of last year, when they fell to Olimpija in the Conference League qualifiers.
- This is the first ever meeting between these two teams.
Match preview
Pristina is the most decorated and successful club in Kosovan football history, having claimed the national title 11 times. However, last season was a disaster for them in the league: Pristina finished only sixth, just one point clear of the relegation zone. Their ticket to the Europa League came courtesy of a Kosovo Cup triumph, where they edged out Llapi 1-0 in the final.
Against Sheriff, Pristina were always seen as underdogs, but few expected such a heavy defeat. Throughout the match, Pristina barely created a single dangerous chance and spent most of the game pinned in their own half.
Sheriff, too, are the most decorated club in their country, having won the Moldovan championship 21 times. However, for the past two seasons, Sheriff have failed to capture the league crown, finishing behind Petrocub and Milsami. Remarkably, last season Sheriff ended up second despite going unbeaten throughout the campaign.
The new Moldovan league season has started brightly for Sheriff: they've won all four opening matches, with a combined goal difference of 12:2. In their most recent outing, Viktor Mikhailov's side edged Bălți 1-0, and before that, they overcame reigning champions Milsami 2-1.
Probable lineups
- Pristina: Kolaj, Vitija, Buey, Raci, Bytyqi, Namani, Limani, Muja, Kryeziu, Baftiu, Veliu
- Sheriff: Dulgerov, Boakye, Magassouba, Rai, Atila, Bayala, Soumah, Ademo, Yade, Diarra, Ghioni
Pristina vs Sheriff prediction
Pristina remain underdogs even at home, but Sheriff might look to conserve energy ahead of their upcoming crucial fixtures. My prediction: both teams will find the net in this match.
