Likes of Ajax and Greek league champions AEK close to group stages of continental competition
The final ties in the play-off rounds for the UEFA Champions League – Europe’s premier club competition – are set to take place this week. This coming Tuesday evening (28 August) sees three second leg ties kick off, with a place in the Champions League last 32 just 90 minutes away.
First things first
Before you go any further, head on over to the Oddsshark website, find your favourite betting site and get your account up and running via your credit card. As a new customer and with the Champions League group stage set to kick off next month, there should be a whole host of promotions and offers available to you.
Where should I be investing my money?
Former Champions League winners Ajax looks a good place to start. The Dutch giants travel to Ukraine to take on Dynamo Kiev with a 3-1 advantage safely in the bank following last week’s first leg.
Dynamo have looked good in domestic competition so far this season, winning four and drawing one in five games, but Ajax are a different calibre of opponent. And the Amsterdam outfit are odds on to reach the group stages of the Champions League for the first time since the 2014/15 season.
Looking at the simplest bet you can make – who will qualify for the group stages – Ajax are at just 1.12 to do so, with Dynamo out t 6.00 following that loss in the first leg. And in this return encounter Ajax are again at the shorter price.
You can more than double your money by backing the visitors to win again, at a price of 2.55. Dynamo, by way of comparison, are only slightly higher at 2.62, and a narrow 1-0 win for the home side is priced competitively at 9.50, offering close to a ten-fold return on any investment, according to the Oddssharkwebsite.
AEK should join Ajax in group stages
Another club close to securing their place in the Champions League group stages is Greek champions AEK Athens. The side from the capital welcome Hungarian club MOL Vidi to town on Tuesday, with AEK looking to defend the 2-1 lead they took away from Budapest in the first leg.
The defending Greek Super League champions got their title defence off on the right foot this past weekend with a routine 2-0 win and will come into this tie brimming with confidence. The writing would look to be on the wall for MOL.
When it comes to who is likely to qualify, AEK are far ahead in the betting. The Athenian outfit are at just 1.040 to progress in the continental competition, while MOL find themselves all the way out at 13.00 to perform a miracle.
And this second leg tie would also look to be AEK all the way. The Greeks are at just 1.50 to collect a win in front of their own fans, with a comprehensive 3-0 win priced at 10.00.
Dinamo and Young Boys neck and neck
Without doubt the closest of Tuesday’s ties comes from Croatia, as Dinamo Zagreb host Swiss outfit Young Boys. The first leg ended 1-1 in Zurich and it is all to play for at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb.
Dinamo will however fancy their chances of getting the result they need on their own patch. They have won their last five matches in a row on home soil and confidence must be high in the Dinamo camp – those five home games have seen them concede just two goals, and this could well be a low scoring affair.
Visitors Young boys out in an impressive showing in the first leg and it was only wastefulness in front of goal which prevented them from taking an advantage in this second leg. The club currently sit top of the Swiss super League with five wins in as many games, and a goal scoring rate of 3.2 goals per match.
Nevertheless, it is Dinamo who come in as the slight favourites to reach the group stages. You can back the Croatians to qualify at a price of 1.75, while you could double your money by backing Young Boys at 2.00.
And in terms of the second leg, Dinamo are clearer favourites. The home side are at 2.25 to pick up the necessary win, while Young Boys are at 3.20 to win on the road – a 2-0 win for Dinamo is priced at 12.00, meaning that a US$5 bet would lead to a US$60 pay out.
Champions League qualifying 2nd leg ties:
(1.50) AEK x MOL (7.50); draw (3.75)
(2.25) Dinamo Zagreb x Young Boys (3.20); draw (3.30)
(2.62) Dynamo Kiev x Ajax (2.55); draw (3.40)
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