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Malmo welcome Sparta Prague to Eleda Stadion for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff tie on Wednesday. The hosts are coming into the game on the back of 2-1 comeback win over Norrkoping at the same venue in the Swedish Allsvenskan on Saturday.
They went behind to Isak Sigurgeirsson's 21st-minute strike but were level nine minutes later through Anders Christiansen. Lasse Johnsen scored the match-winner with 12 minutes left on the clock.
The Sky Blue will turn their focus back to the continent and booked their spot at this stage with a 6-5 aggregate win over PAOK in the last round of the qualifiers. A 2-2 draw at home in the first leg was followed by a 4-3 extra-time victory in Greece.
Sparta, meanwhile, saw off Jablonec with a 2-1 away win in the Czechia Chance Liga. Lukas Haraslin put them ahead in the 38th minute while Indrit Tuci doubled the visitors' lead midway through the second half. Jakub Martinec halved the deficit in the 88th minute.
The Maroons booked their spot in the playoff with a 4-3 aggregate win over FCSB in the third qualification round. A 1-1 draw at home was followed by a 3-2 away win in Romania.
The winner of this tie advances to the Champions League group stage while the losers drop to the UEFA Europa League.
Malmo vs Sparta Prague Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two sides were paired in the 2014-15 Champions League qualifiers. Malmo progressed on away goals following a 4-4 aggregate draw.
- Malmo's two Champions League ties this season have produced 21 goals - nine of them in the home legs.
- Sparta are on a nine-game unbeaten run across competitions, winning eight and drawing one.
- There was at least one goal scored in both halves in each of Malmo's last five home games in the Champions League.
- Sparta Prague are aiming to qualify for the Champions League proper for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
Malmo vs Sparta Prague Prediction
Malmo left it late to qualify against PAOK, having been seconds away from elimination until a last-gasp injury-time equalizer.
Sparta have tended to struggle in the Champions League qualifiers but the Czechia champions will be full of confidence owing to the massive steps they've taken in recent years.
We are backing the two sides to share the spoils in a high-scoring stalemate.
Prediction: Malmo 2-2 Sparta Prague
Malmo vs Sparta Prague Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Draw
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
