Crystal Palace will look to seal their spot in the last-16 of the Conference League on Thursday evening as they welcome reigning Bosnian champions Zrinjski Mostar to Selhurst Park in the second leg of their playoff ties.
Crystal Palace would’ve been left disappointed after failing to finish inside the top eight of the league phase table, meaning they require a playoff to reach the last-16.
These two clubs met in the first leg in Bosnia last week, with Ismaila Sarr’s goal just before halftime cancelled out by Karlo Abramovic ten minutes into the second half, leaving the tie in the balance.
The Eagles do come into this clash by claiming just their second victory from their last 12 Premier League outings, as a late goal from new loan signing Evann Guessand was enough to see off rock-bottom Wolves and move Oliver Glasner’s men 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Whilst that draw last week preserved Zrinjski Mostar’s unbeaten home record in the competition to four matches (W2-D2-L0), they travel to South London having lost each of their opening three league-phase matches on their travels, failing to score a goal in each defeat.
How the bookies view it: Palace heavy favourites
It will come as no shock that Crystal Palace have been installed as short-priced favourites here, with the Eagles just 1/20 To Qualify, and 1/9 to win inside 90 minutes.
Zrinjski Mostar are massive 10/1 underdogs to advance to the last-16, with a win inside 90 minutes 16/1.
Head to head: All square between the pair
Unsurprisingly, last week’s 1-1 draw in Mostar was the first-ever meeting between these two clubs.
Players to watch: Sarr to strike again?
Ismaila Sarr scored Crystal Palace’s only goal in Bosnia last week, meaning he has now scored three goals across his past three Conference League appearances.
The Senegalese international also has three goals across his previous five matches in all competitions for the Eagles, and the 10/11 on offer for him to score again on Thursday appeals to me.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Predicted line-ups:
Crystal Palace will be without the injured Jefferson Lerma, Cheick Doucoure, Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Phillipe Mateta, Christantus Uche is ineligible, whilst defender Maxence Lacroix is a doubt.
Zrinjski Mostar are missing the injured Toni Sunjic and Nemanja Bilbija, whilst Antonio Ilic, Darick Kobie Morris and Toma Palic are ineligible.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Richard’s, Canvot, Riad, Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Sosa, Sarr, Johnson, Larsen
Zrinjski Mostar: Karacic, Vranjkovic, Barisic, Dujmovic, Mamic, Djurasek, Savic, Abramovic, Ivancic, Mikic, Cuze
Anything else catch the eye?
With the hosts such short odds to win, it’s hard to find value here, with a Crystal Palace Win to Nil paying a measly 8/13 at bet365.
13 of Crystal Palace’s 14 wins in all competitions this season have featured fewer than four match goals, and a repeat pays an appealing 11/10 at Coral/Ladbrokes.
What’s more, Zrinjski Mostar have failed to score in each of their three league phase defeats this term, with two of those also producing fewer than four goals.
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