APOEL – Rosenborg

APOEL Nicosia will try to overturn a 1-2 first leg deficit when the Cypriot champions take on Rosenborg in the Champions League qualifiers.

APOEL seems to have lost some steam in the last couple of years and might struggle to make an impact in Europe this season. They remain a good side, but their limits are more obvious than in the past. Losing Cavenaghi was a huge blow and the hosts haven`t been very impressive in the previous qualifying round against TNS (0-0, 3-0). They were second best in the first leg against Rosenborg and were fortunate to escape with a narrow 2-1 loss, with the away goal giving them a good chance today.

Rosenborg is in fantastic form, they won the title last season by a mile and made a good impression in Europe as well. This season they look just as good, or even better – Rosenborg is leading the Norwegian league by 6 points, losing just 1 of 17 matches and easily defeating a solid Norrkoping side in the previous Champions League round.

Bet on APOEL vs. Rosenborg and get your 100% (100 €) exclusive bonus at Ohmbet!

The Norwegian side should have put this tie to rest in the first leg. They were better than APOEL, led 2-0 and had a fair number of big chances, but they conceded a goal in the second half and now face a difficult task in a place where it`s not easy to get a win. Still, Rosenborg has to be the big favorite to qualify.

Rosenborg is the better team right now, they are brimming with confidence and playing great football, while APOEL doesn`t look great. APOEL also didn`t look great at this stage last season, barely edging Vardar and Midtjylland, losing to Astana and then getting hammered in the Europa League group stages. The team seems to be on the downtrend. The fact that Rosenborg is in the middle of the domestic league, while APOEL has only played the three Champions League matches this year, is another advantage for the visitors.

I expect Rosenborg to qualify and do so without losing. They should get a draw here, but I wouldn`t be shocked if they punish APOEL on the break late in the game and claim victory. A draw seems the logical option though, as winning in Cyprus will not be an easy task, so my tip is a draw on the Rosenborg win no bet market. 7 units seems like a reasonable stake to place on this bet. Prediction: APOEL Nicosia – Rosenborg 1-1.

Pick: Draw – Rosenborg win no bet
Odds: 2.20 @ Bwin
Stake: 7
Possible profit: 8.40
Event date: 2 August