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Borac Banja Luka welcome PAOK Thessaloniki to the Gradski stadion Banja Luka for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League second qualification round on Wednesday (July 31). The visitors hold a narrow advantage in the tie following a 3-2 home win in the first leg in Greece last week.
Konstantinos Koulierakis scored a first-half brace, while Sebastian Herrera and Enver Kulasin scored for the visitors to make it at 2-2 at half-time. Nigeria international William Troost-Ekong scored the winner six minutes into the second half.
Borac needed penalties to get to this stage of the Champions League qualifiers. They claimed a 1-0 home win against nine-man Egnatia in the first leg and lost 2-1 away, progressing 4-1 in the shootout. PAOK, meanwhile, received a bye to this stage as the Greek Super League champions.
The winner of this tie will face Malmo or Klaksvik in the next round of the qualifiers, while the losers drop to the UEFA Europa League qualifiers.
Borac vs PAOK Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Last week's clash was the maiden meeting between the two sides.
- Six of PAOK's last seven games across competitions have witnessed goals at both ends, with five producing at least three goals.
- Borac's last six competitive games have been decided by one-goal margins.
- PAOK's last nine qualification games in UEFA club competition have seen both sides score with the last eight producing over 2.5 goals.
- Borac's last five qualification games in UEFA club competitions have been decided by one-goal margins.
Borac vs PAOK Prediction
Borac have never won a qualification tie in the UEFA Champions League. They might have lost the first leg, but their performance in the defeat was commendable, while a one-goal deficit was lower than many would have expected.
PAOK, meanwhile, are competing in the Champions League for the ninth time but have never reached the group stage. They narrowly emerged victorious in the first leg despite being the heavy favoruites, so they will hope for an improved showing in Bosnia.
Expect the visitors to claim a comfortable victory with goals to both ends.
Prediction: Borac 1-3 PAOK
Borac vs PAOK Betting Tips
Tip 1 - PAOK to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 4 - Both halves to produce over 0.5 goals
