Ajax vs APOEL – Betting Tips and Champions League Qualifying Phase Preview

Nothing there to calculate about for both sides in this clash. Especially Ajax, whose whole season depends upon the result of this fixture. The Lancers have to win in order to reach the elite European competition and substantial financial resources. That would give them the opportunity of preserving some of the players from the starting lineup and maintaining the domination in the domestic championship. After their first match ended with a draw, both teams will have to go all out in this clash.

Since the start of the competitive part of the season, Ajax didn’t lose a single game. In seven contests they recorded four wins and three draws, and all of those events in which they haven’t won were on the road. In three games at home, Ajax has scored 10 goals, maintaining their streak of excellent performances at Amsterdam Arena, or Johan Cruyff as you wish. Their victims there were PSV, Emmen, and PAOK. Apart from the first match against APOEL in Nicosia, which ended without any goals, in all others, Erik ten Hag’s guys netted at least twice, but that is nothing new when talking about the Dutch champs, who are very efficient at home.

The biggest problem for the Cypriot team is the fact that their domestic championship hasn’t even started yet. They lack competitive games, and the only ones they had were in the Champions League qualifiers. In those five fixtures, APOEL recorded three wins, a loss, and a draw, and all of them were very tough matches. Only one saw both teams scoring, and three were under 2.5 goals. Also, APOEL kept clean sheets in all but that one event, and that tells us that they play hard, defensive football, with low efficiency. It is, in fact, their philosophy of play in the recent several years since they appeared in group stages of the European competitions.

Team News

Once one of the greatest talents of continental football, striker Kasper Dolberg, will skip this match because of an injury. The Danish international really doesn’t have any lucks when it comes to health. Chris Eiting and experienced Quincy Promes are also going to miss this event.

For APOEL midfielder Vouros, won’t play and that might be a problem for them, but he didn’t play in the first match either, and they got along fine without him. Alef and Efrem are also going to skip Wednesday’s clash.

Prediction

Now, Ajax is the favourite at home against the majority of the European sides, and we just can’t see them not winning this event. We often saw one team having a miraculous year, and then stopping at the first obstacle in the next campaign, but that won’t be the case here. Odds on Lancers’ success are too low, and we will increase that by betting on their win with an Asian handicap. Dutch powerhouse to triumph with -1.5 goals handicap is 11/20 at Bet365.

We do respect APOEL’s defence, but here we have to go along with Ajax’s offence. Once they find a gap in your backline, especially in Amsterdam, there is no way back for you. As we already mentioned, in three matches at home, this team scored 10 times since the season started. Because of that, Ajax to score in both halves sounds pretty realistic. William Hil has the best offer for our suggestion, and it sits at 4/5.