Thursday’s Europa League qualifying predictions: Killie could get a result
- There are nine Europa League second-round qualifying ties on Thursday
- Recommended bets:
- Back Ajax to win to nil
- Back Kilmarnock or draw double chance
Qualifying for the 2024-25 Europa League continues on Thursday with nine second-round ties beginning.
Kilmarnock are in action as they host Cercle Brugge, while the likes of Ajax, Panathinaikos and Braga also feature.
The games kick off between 5pm and 8.30pm and we have picked out two selections to look out for.
Ajax vs FK Vojvodina (Thursday, 7.30pm)
The stats
FK Vojvodina have failed to progress from five of their last six European ties
The Serbians have lost their last two European ties, against APOEL and LASK Linz, by a combined aggregate score of 11-3
Vojvodina failed to score when they last faced Dutch opposition in Europe, going down 3-0 on aggregate to AZ Alkmaar in the 2016-17 Europa League.
Prediction
Ajax had a season to forget last term, finishind 35 points behind Eredivisie winners PSV in fifth.
They also struggled in Europe, as they were dumped out of the Europa League in the group stages before being beaten by Aston Villa 4-0 on aggregate in the Conference League round of 16.
New boss Francesco Farioli has been tasked with turning things around and starts with this qualifier against FK Vojvodina.
They finished fourth in the Serbian top flight last season and their record in Europe is poor.
The visitors have never reached the group stages of a European tournament and were knocked out of Conference League qualifying by APOEL last season and LASK Linz during the 2021-22 campaign, losing the two ties by a combined aggregate score of 11-3.
They were beaten 3-0 on aggregate the last time they faced a Dutch team in Europe, AZ, and they look likely to suffer another defeat without finding the net in this one.
Kilmarnock vs Cercle Brugge (Thursday, 7.30pm)
The stats
Kilmarnock lost just four of their 19 home league games last season.
Five of Killie's last six European games have gone under 2.5 goals.
This is Cercle Brugge’s first continental clash since 2011.
Prediction
Kilmarnock’s success last season was built on rock-solid defensive foundations and they are fancied to carry that over into the new campaign and secure at least a draw from the first leg of this clash with Cercle Brugge.
Derek McInnes has managed to keep together the bulk of the side that finished fourth in the Scottish Premiership last season and a crack at European football will have been a big factor in that.
The visitors are rightfully the favourites in the tie as a whole, but Kilmarnock only lost four of their 19 home league games last season and have to be respected in their own backyard.
This could be a cagey affair but the hosts are fancied to get a result to take to Belgium.
