Rijeka vs Corvinul Hunedoara Prediction 01.08.2024 | Europa League

• Competition: UEFA Europa League Qualifying
• Date: Thursday, 1st, August 2024
• Kickoff: 19:00 UK / 20.00 CEST
• Venue: Stadion Rujevica (Rijeka)

The battle for a spot in the next qualifying round of the Europa League continues at Stadion Rujevica on Thursday as Rijeka and Corvinul Hunedoara meet in the second leg to determine the tie's overall victor.

While their league title pursuit kicks off this weekend with a home fixture against NK Lokomotiva on August 4, Rijeka will aim to gain momentum for the new domestic campaign by successfully handling their midweek European assignment. Zeljko Sopic's confidence in his squad's capability to progress to the next stage of UEFA's second-tier competition qualifiers is well-founded, as they have consistently made it to the third round in their last four appearances, with the latest one earning them a place in the group phase in 2020-21.

As a second-tier side in Romania, the Hunedoara-based club made a major splash in the opening round of qualifications by sending the Hungarian outfit PAKS packing with a 4-2 aggregate victory. Knocking out their Balkan rivals is primarily the result of their sensational 4-0 success away from home, and Corvinul will be hoping to enjoy another successful outing on hostile turf as they continue their history-making quest.

Rijeka vs Corvinul Hunedoara Betting Tips: UNDER 3.5

One of the least exciting Europa League first-leg ties featured these two rivals, who settled for a draw in a monotonous goalless contest on Romanian soil, and we believe the second leg will be equally unappealing. During the first leg held in Romania, the deadlock was never close to being broken, and the two teams combined for a meager total of just three shots on target. 

In addition, Rijeka's head coach Zeljko Sopic is concerned about the scoring drought affecting his team, as the Whites have been able to shake the net only once in the past four matches, while drawing blanks on three occasions. If anything can provide solace to the Croatian club, it's that their European rivals Corvinul are also enduring a dry spell in front of goal, having been kept off the scoreboard in three of their opening four competitive matches of the new campaign. Given that both teams are struggling to score and will likely adopt a cautious approach, we anticipate another lifeless contest that could ultimately see a solitary goal make the difference between the two sides.