Spartak Trnava – Hibernians

The Slovak club will be able to defeat a less skilled opponent again.

Spartak Trnava approached the clash with a mid-table team in the Maltese championship as the favourites. The first match between the opponents proved the validity of the Slovak team's claims for a place in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. The advantage in shots on target against Hibernians was 6:1, and in corners it was 7:1, which inevitably translated into a corresponding difference on the scoreboard at the Paola stadium. In the middle of the first half Holik put Trnava ahead, but immediately five substitutions by Hibernians in the second half brought results in the form of an equaliser. Just five minutes later, the visitors scored the winning goal - 2:1. The away victory undoubtedly leaves the islanders with little chance of final success. However, they will certainly have to play for a win in the away match against a stronger opponent, increasing the risks of not winning and possibly losing even more convincingly. Bookmakers identified the home team as clear favourites for the return match, offering odds of 1.18 for their victory. Spartak Trnava began their European campaign in the current season in the UEFA Europa League, where they lost their home match to Hacken in the first qualifying round. The return leg in Sweden almost turned the tide of the confrontation upside down, but in the end the 'beasts' managed to snatch a draw, which highlighted the final victory for the Swedes. After the match in Malta, the Slovak team started the national championship season by convincingly beating Ruzomberok at home 3:0. At their home ground, Spartak will undoubtedly play as the dominant side with the task of solidifying their advantage. Hibernians finished the previous season in seventh place in the Maltese championship, which vividly characterises the strength of this team. Compared to the previous football year, the situation has hardly changed. After sixteen rounds of the championship, the club occupied eighth place. Hibernians secured a spot in European competitions in mid-May as a result of the final stage of the Maltese Cup. In the semi-finals and finals, the mid-table team managed to beat Hamrun and Birkirkara, who finished these matches with fewer players. Given the higher class of the Slovak club, we will bet on their convincing victory.