Will there be a penalty shootout? Petrocub vs Ordabasy Prediction
One of the return matches of the first round of the Champions League qualifiers will be played in Chișinău, where local Petrocub will host Kazakhstan's Ordabasy at the "Zimbru" stadium. The first match between these teams in Kazakhstan ended with a score of 0-0, so everything will be decided in Chișinău. Here’s the prediction for this match from the Dailysports expert team.
Petrocub
The "Black and Whites" could previously only boast a victory in the Moldovan Cup. However, last spring, Petrocub pleasantly surprised everyone by securing the "golden double." In the championship, the "Black and Whites" outpaced the most titled local club, Sheriff, by a whole six points. In 10 matches within the championship, Petrocub did not lose a single game, securing 7 wins.
It is worth noting that Petrocub does not have significant achievements in European competitions. In the summer of 2022, the team participated in the Conference League, reaching the third qualifying round. Last year, they were heavily defeated by Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in the first match, conceding five goals. In the first game against Ordabasy, the Moldovans pleasantly surprised by calmly defending and not allowing a single goal-scoring opportunity.
Ordabasy
The "Blue and Whites" previously won only cup competitions in Kazakhstan in 2011 and 2022. Last season, however, Ordabasy managed to challenge the local flagship, Astana, and won the gold medals of the Kazakhstan Championship for the first time. This success was not a fluke, as in the new season of the Kazakhstan Championship, the "Blue and Whites" are leading, ahead of Aktobe by two points after 12 matches.
The representative from Shymkent has participated in European competitions numerous times but almost always exited in the first round. There were only two exceptions. In 2012, Ordabasy progressed past Javor Ivanjica in the Europa League but then lost to Norwegian Rosenborg. The second time was in 2019 when, after defeating Torpedo Kutaisi, the team lost to Mlada Boleslav.
Interesting Facts and Head-to-Head History
- Before last week, the teams had never played against each other.
- Before the match with Petrocub, Ordabasy scored in five consecutive games.
- Ordabasy has not lost in all competitions for nine consecutive matches.
Petrocub vs Ordabasy Prediction
Bookmakers do not see a clear favorite in this match, assessing the teams' chances with roughly equal odds. We believe that there is a high probability of a draw and a penalty shootout in this match. Our bet is "Total Under 2.5" with odds of 1.65.
