Elfsborg vs Pafos prediction 11.07.2024 | Europa League
Elfsborg
3 - 0
Elapsed: FT
Half time: 1 - 0
Full time: 3 - 0
Kick off:
Date:
Pafos

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Contents
- Competition: Europa League Qualifiers, 1st Round, 1st Leg
- Date: Thursday, 11th July, 2024
- Kickoff: 18:00 UTC +1 / 19:00 CEST
- Venue: Borås Arena (Borås)
Last year, Elfsborg were on course to win the title, as they held the top spot for most of the season. Still, due to the poor end of the season, Elfsborg eventually lost the title in the last game of the season. This year is nowhere as good as last year for The Yellow Ones, considering they are in 7th place with only 19 points - already 16 away from the top spot and six away from the European spots. When it comes to European Qualifiers, Elfsborg haven't secured it since the 2015/16 season when they reached the 3rd Qualifying round but were stopped by Odd (Norway). They are generally a team that rarely secures the Group phase and have done so last time in over a decade, in the 2013/14 season.
Pafos is a new name in Cyprian football, founded just ten years ago. Still, they quickly became one of the best teams in the country as their result constantly improved over the recent seasons. They have the second-highest total market value in Cyprus and are now one of the favorites for the title. Last year, they won the Cup and secured European Qualifiers via that route since they finished 5th in the league. The game against Elfsborg will be their first ever in Europe, but the bookies give them a good chance to reach the second round. Right now, the odds for Pafos reaching the second round are between 1.8 and 2.05.
Elfsborg vs Pafos pick: Elfsborg to win
Elfsborg are having a far-from-impressive season, but after changing the coach, they responded well and won the first game under the new coach 3:0 vs. Bromapojkarna. Generally, the primary reason for their poor season is their terrible road record. At Boras Arena, Elfsborg have been really good, winning the last five league games in a row.
Pafos had a good preparation period, winning three of four matches against solid teams - Panathinaikos, Legia, Ilirija, and Universitatea Craiova. However, they are totally inexperienced in European games, and it is hard to expect a positive result, mainly since they did not perform well away from home last year even against poor competition in Cyprus.
Even though we expect a close match, we believe that the home pitch advantage will be a deciding factor for this match and that Elfsborg will eventually secure a win.
Elfsborg team news
After coach Jummy Thelin left the club and joined Aberdeen, the club appointed Oscar Hiljemark as the new head coach on 3 June. The 32-year-old coach was previously an assistant coach at Aalborg and then Aalborg's head coach. Under the new head coach, Elfsborg won their first Allsvenskan game 3:0 vs Bromapojkarna.
According to credible sources, Elfsborg should have the entire squad available.
Last matches of Elfsborg
-
Elfsborg
3 : 0
Brommapojkarna
Allsvenskan
-
Elfsborg
0 : 0
Fredrikstad
Club Friendlies 3
-
Elfsborg
0 : 0
Fredrikstad
Club Friendlies 3
-
IFK Goteborg
1 : 0
Elfsborg
Allsvenskan
-
Malmo FF
2 : 1
Elfsborg
Allsvenskan
Elfsborg lineup
Goalkeeper
-
31
Isak Pettersson
Defenders
-
8
Sebastian Holmen
-
4
Gustav Henriksson
-
2
Terry Yegbe
Midfielders
-
15
Simon Hedlund
-
16
Timothy Ouma
-
27
Besfort Zeneli
-
23
Niklas Hult
Forwards
-
18
Ahmed Qasem
-
10
Michael Baidoo
-
9
Arber Zeneli
Pafos team news
Goalkeeper Ivica Ivusic wasn't with the team since he was in EURO with the Croatian national team. He missed all preparation games but will most likely be ready for the Europa League game.
Pafos were pretty active during the transfer window, adding four players on 1 July. Probably the best among them is Joao Correia, a regular starter for Chaves (Portugal) and one of the best players in the Cape Verde national team. On the other hand, Abdusalamov Magomedkhabib left the club, along with several others who were on loan and returned to their parent clubs.
Pafos' total market value is around 17.8 million euros - similar to Elfsborg's 18.7 million euros.
Last matches of Pafos
-
AC Omonia
0 : 3
Pafos
Cyprus Cup
-
Pafos
1 : 1
AC Omonia
1. Division
-
Aris
1 : 1
Pafos
1. Division
-
Pafos
5 : 1
Anorthosis
1. Division
-
Apollon
1 : 1
Pafos
Cyprus Cup
Pafos lineup
Goalkeeper
-
1
Ivica Ivusic
Defenders
-
13
Joao Correia
-
4
Josef Kvida
-
5
David Goldar
-
3
Matias Melluso
Midfielders
-
30
Vlad Dragomir
-
25
Moustapha Name
-
24
Onni Valakari
Forwards
-
22
Muamer Tankovic
-
10
Jairo
-
7
Bruno
3 Reasons why Elfsborg should win
- Elfsborg won the last five home league games
- Elfsborg kept a clean sheet in the previous three games (friendlies and Allsvenskan matches combined)
- The match against Elfsborg will be Pafos's first European game
Main prediction Elfsborg - Pafos
Elfsborg to win
Best Odds: