APOEL vs Ajax 21/08/19

21 August 2019

APOEL and Ajax go head-to-head at the Neo GSP Stadium for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie.

The hosts have performed a stunning second-leg comeback against Qarabag securing a 2-0 away win after suffering a 2-1 defeat at home in the reversed fixture. Previously, they’ve eliminated the Montenegrian side Sutjeska, 3-0 on aggregate, to secure their place in the second qualifying round in the first place. Although Τhrylos have won just five of their last 12 home games across all competitions (W5, D4, L3), all of those triumphs have seen them beat their rivals to nil. Also, three of their defeats in that sequence have seen them concede precisely two goals, with two of them ending with the same 2-1 scoreline against their favor.

As for the visitors, they’ve won four (three consecutive) of seven matches across all competitions this term (W4, D3), scoring two or more goals across all of those victories. A potential worry for the Lancers is that they’ve struggled to keep a clean sheet on five occasions in that period, allowing over 1.5 match goals three times in the process. Erik ten Hag’s men have also racked up a ten-game unbeaten away run in all competitions (W8, D2). While five of their wins in that span saw them score multiple goals and concede at least one, both of those stalemates have ended with the same 2-2 scoreline.