Gzira United v Glentoran

Gzira United v Glentoran Preview

The 1st legs of the 1st Qualifying Round of the Europa Conference League continue on Thursday evening and features this upcoming clash between Maltese hosts, Gzira United, and Northern Irish counterparts, Glentoran, at the MFA Centenary Stadium with the hosts looking to reach the group stage this time around.

Gzira United secured their place in the Europa League Conference qualifiers thanks to a third-place finish at the end of last season's Maltese Premier League campaign which saw them finish two points ahead of fourth-placed Hibernians, but having played just one game since the end of the domestic top flight campaign and this upcoming 1st leg tie with Glentoran, Gzira run the risk of running out of steam here.

Gzira United were beaten by Marsaxlokk on penalties in the Maltese FA Trophy in their final game of last season but although they recorded a 4-0 home win against Birkirkara in a club friendly towards the end of June, this appears to be scant preparation for an upcoming European tie.

Glentoran had to undergo games in semi-final and final play-offs for a place in these Europa Conference League qualifiers but the visitors came out on top as they inflicted a heavy and comprehensive 5-0 thrashing of Glenavon which was then followed by a solid 2-0 win against Cliftonville in the play-off final.

Glentoran certainly haven't rested on their laurels though as the visitors have been involved in four subsequent club friendlies where they were unbeaten in four games, picking up three wins and a draw in the process.

Wins against H&W Welders, Kilmarnock and Bangor should not only help with a useful and timely morale boost but also important game time on the field where Glentoran might just hold the edge over Gzira United in terms of match fitness.

In addition, Glentoran are now unbeaten in their last 10 matches in all competitions which consists of eight wins and two draws and the visitors will be hoping that this encouraging sequence of results stands them in good stead for this 1st leg tie in Malta on Thursday evening.

Gzira United v Glentoran Verdict

Gzira United's recent form has been questionable as the hosts have managed to pick up just three wins from their last eight matches in all competitions while Glentoran will be in confident mood having made good preparations for this trip along with a confident frame of mind as well.

In addition, having lost just three of their previous 13 outings on the road in all competitions and collecting eight wins along the way, Glentoran look the more likely to earn a 1st leg lead at the MFA Centenary Stadium.

Therefore, our main bet will be Glentoran win @ 2.60

Other side bets worth considering:

Both Teams To Score Yes @ 2.00

Correct score: Glentoran 2-1 @ 11.00