Shamrock vs Molde Prediction 20 February 2025
🔊 Will the "Hoops" manage to sensationally advance to the next round of the Conference League? The return leg between Shamrock Rovers and Molde will take place this coming Thursday at the "Tallaght" Stadium in Dublin. Both clubs dream of reaching the Round of 16, but the Irish team holds some advantage ahead of the second match. The main referee has already been announced: it will be the Greek Anastasios Sidiropoulos. Nevertheless, bookmakers predict a victory for the Norwegian team. You can place a bet on this event with odds of 1.75.
Head-to-Head
Last Thursday, Shamrock Rovers achieved their first-ever victory over Molde (1:0). This outcome was largely influenced by the sending off of Valdemar Lund in the 42nd minute. Nevertheless, the achievements of the "Hoops" and 16-year-old Michael Noonan, who scored his first goal in professional football, should not be underestimated.
Head-to-head statistics Shamrock - Molde
Shamrock Rovers Team Overview
The Irish team is close to a historic event - reaching the round of 16 in the Conference League playoffs. Despite being the clear underdog in the first match against Molde, the "Hoops" not only managed to cause several problems for the Norwegians but also achieved an overall victory - 1-0. Let's note some tactical details that were characteristic of last week's encounter. Stephen Bradley understands the limitations of resources well, so the 5-3-2 formation should not be surprising. During attacks, Shamrock Rovers shifted to a 3-5-2 with wing-backs playing as wide midfielders. Undoubtedly, the main hero was Michael Noonan. The 16-year-old Irish forward joined the capital team during the winter transfer window from St. Patrick's Athletic. In his debut match for the "Rovers," he achieved something fantastic - a winning goal in the 57th minute. It seems that with proper development, the young man has a promising future ahead. Unavailable players ahead of the decisive game include Jack Byrne, Trevor Clarke, Rory Gaffney, Darragh Nugent (all due to injuries), Daniel Cleary, and Dylan Watts (both suspended).
Match Results: Shamrock Rovers
Molde Team Overview
The Norwegian Championship concluded back in December. The lack of match practice for Per-Mathias Høgmo's team is a significant issue. In fact, this was one of the reasons for Molde's sensational defeat last Thursday. A major setback is also the suspension of Waldemar Lund, who is forced to miss his team's upcoming away game due to a red card. Generally, the former coach of the Norwegian national team emphasizes maintaining compactness in the lines and refrains from creating width on the flanks. Thus, the tactical formation sometimes resembles a 4-1-2-1-2 with an extremely narrow positioning of players. It is important to note that during the winter transfer window, Molde lost two key defensive players: Mathias Løvik (to Parma for 6 million euros) and Anders Hagelskjaer (to Wycombe Wanderers for 510 thousand euros). However, equivalent replacements have not been found. In the upcoming European competition match, Per-Mathias Høgmo cannot rely on the assistance of Johan Bakke, Veton Berisha, and Kasper Øyvann (all due to injuries).
Match Results: Molde
⚽️ GOALS PREDICTION
In 6 of the last 8 matches involving Shamrock Rovers, at least 3 goals were recorded. Generally, the Irish do not appear less persistent and sometimes are not averse to playing as the leading team. It is worth noting that the average scoring rate of the "Hoops" in the current European season is 1.9 goals per match. In our opinion, there is a high probability that the storyline of the return match will be radically different from last week’s game, whose intensity noticeably suffered after Molde's early sending-off. Our choice is total over 2.5 goals.
🚩 CORNERS PREDICTION
Despite situational bursts of activity, Shamrock Rovers play as the second team in matches against higher-class teams. This is evidenced by their average ball possession per game - 41%. Moreover, the "Hoops" show a negative difference between corners won and conceded in the current European season: 3.4 against 5.3. For the Norwegians, the situation is reversed: 4.3 against 3.1. It is evident that Per-Mathias Høgmo's men will try to take control of the ball, considering they need to make a comeback. Our choice is victory for Molde on corners with a handicap (-2.5).
Editorial Prediction
Considering the significant number of personnel issues, Shamrock Rovers are unlikely to confidently maintain their lead in the scoreline. Molde still boasts substantial resources, experience in the final stages of European competitions, and the ability to learn from their own mistakes. It is worth noting that in the 2 head-to-head matches within the framework of the 2022/23 Conference League, Shamrock failed to score. Our prediction for the final score is 0:3. The key bet is a victory for Molde.
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Betting Tips: Shamrock Rovers - Molde
in 7 of last 8 home games.
in 13 of last 14 Shamrock Rovers home games.in 6 of last 7 Shamrock Rovers games (UEFA Europa Conference League).in 10 of last 11 Molde away games.in 13 of last 14 games.in last 7 games (UEFA Europa Conference League).in 9 of last 10 games.
in last 7 Shamrock Rovers home games.
in 6 of last 7 Anastasios Sidiropoulos games.
Comparison of Teams Stats
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