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Larne and Rigas FS will trade tackles in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League first round qualification tie on Wednesday (July 17th). The latter hold a comfortable three-goal lead in the tie having claimed a 3-0 home win in the first leg in Latvia last week.
Martins Kigurs, Daniels Balodis and Stefan Panic scored to help the Riga outfit cruise to victory.
They followed up their continental victory with a 2-1 comeback home win over BFC Daugvpils in the Latvian Cup. They went behind to Barthelemy Diedhiou's 17th-minute strike and their job was compounded when they were reduced to 10 men following Darko Lemajic's dismissal with just 20 minutes left.
However, despite their numerical disadvantage, Viktors Morozs' side advanced to the next round with Cedri Kouadio and Janis Ikaunieks scoring to complete the turnaround.
Rigas will turn their focus back to the continental competition now. The winner of this tie will face Bodo/Glimt in the next round of the qualifiers while the losers drop into the UEFA Conference League.
Larne vs Rigas FS Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The first leg clash was the maiden meeting between the two sides.
- Eleven of Rigas' last 12 games, including each of the last eight, have produced three goals or more.
- Seven of Larne's last nine qualification games in UEFA club competitions have seen at least one side fail to find the back of the net.
- Rigas are unbeaten in their last 13 games (11 wins).
- Five of Larne's last six games in all competitions have produced over 2.5 goals.
- Five of Larne's six away qualification games in UEFA Club competition has seen at least one side keep a clean sheet.
Larne vs Rigas FS Prediction
Larne are competing in the UEFA Champions League for the second consecutive season. They were eliminated in the first round of the qualifiers last season and are set to be dumped out at the same stage this time around unless they manage to overturn a three-goal deficit.
Rigas, for their part, are well poised to win a tie in the Champions League for the first ever time in only their second time in the competition. They have one foot in the next round and will look to consolidate their advantage in the tie.
We are backing the visitors to claim a narrow victory with goals at both ends.
Prediction: Larne 1-2 Rigas FS
Larne vs Rigas FS Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Rigas to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
