Zilina vs Hajduk Split - prediction, team news, lineups

Hajduk Split volition look to decorativeness the occupation erstwhile they question to Stadion pod Dubnom successful Slovakia for Thursday night's 2nd limb of their Europa League archetypal qualifying-round necktie against MSK Zilina.

The Slovakian outfit way 2-0 from the archetypal limb successful Croatia and look a stern situation to overturn the deficit, though the necktie is acold from beyond their reach. 

Match preview

MSK Zilina are seven-time Slovakian champions, but they had to settee for a fourth-placed league decorativeness past season, ending the run 16 points adrift of champions Slovan Bratislava.

However, Pavol Stano's broadside secured their spot successful the Europa League qualifiers by lifting the Slovak Cup for lone the 2nd clip successful the club's history.

History offers small encouragement for the Yellow-Greens, who person ne'er progressed to the Europa League proper, and they present look an adjacent tougher task aft falling 2 goals down successful the tie.

Zilina person besides endured an underwhelming pre-season, struggling to physique momentum up of the caller campaign.

The hosts are winless successful their past 5 matches, losing 2 of them, and portion affable results tin often beryllium taken with a pinch of salt, different decision connected Thursday would bring their European travel to an aboriginal end.

Roko Brajkovic broke the deadlock midway done the archetypal fractional earlier Dali doubled Hajduk Split's vantage aft the interval, arsenic the Croatian outfit produced a disciplined show to instrumentality power of the necktie successful the archetypal leg.

Hajduk finished 2nd successful the HNL past season, ending the run 18 points down champions Dinamo Zagreb contempt winning 20 league matches and scoring 61 goals.

Those 8 league defeats yet proved costly, preventing the Split-based nine from sustaining a genuine rubric situation contempt enjoying different beardown home campaign.

Gonzalo Garcia's broadside besides impressed during pre-season, winning each 3 of their affable fixtures without conceding a goal, and they carried that antiaircraft solidity into past week's first-leg victory.

Although Hajduk question to Slovakia with a steadfast two-goal cushion, Garcia volition beryllium anxious to defender against complacency, peculiarly with his broadside having failed to triumph immoderate of their past 4 competitory distant matches.

Zilina Europa League form:

L

Zilina signifier (all competitions):

L

Hajduk Split Europa League form:

W

Hajduk Split signifier (all competitions):

W

Team News

Pavol Stano is expected to persist with his preferred 3-4-3 formation, with Michael Fasko, Marko Roginic and Frantisek Kosa each acceptable to clasp their places successful the starting lineup.

Fasko finished arsenic Zilina's starring scorer with 14 goals past season, and the hosts volition erstwhile again look to the experienced guardant to animate an improbable comeback.

Hajduk's summertime recruits person already made a affirmative impression, with Alec Van Hoorenbeeck, Mathieu Acapandie and Dali each catching the oculus successful the archetypal leg, the second capping his debut with a extremity aft the break.

Michele Sego, who netted 13 goals past season, is expected to pb the enactment erstwhile again and volition beryllium anxious to unfastened his relationship for the caller run connected the European stage.

Zilina imaginable starting lineup:

Badzgon; Paliscak, Kasa, Narimanidze; Hranica, Bzdyl, Kacer, Bari; Fasko, Roginic, Kosa

Hajduk Split imaginable starting lineup:

Silic; Acapandie, Van Hoorenbeeck, Maresic, Hrgovic; Pukstas, Pajaziti; Melnjak Brajkovic, Dali; Sego

We say: Zilina 1-1 Hajduk Split

Zilina person small prime but to instrumentality the inaugural from the opening whistle successful pursuit of an improbable comeback, but committing bodies guardant could permission gaps for Hajduk to exploit connected the counter-attack.

The hosts should nutrient a acold much competitory show successful beforehand of their ain supporters, yet Hajduk's antiaircraft organisation and awesome caller signifier suggest the Croatian broadside person capable prime to debar decision and safely advancement to the adjacent round.

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