TNS vs Shkëndija prediction 08.07.2025 | Champions League

• Competition: Champions League Qualifiers, 1st Round, 1st Leg
• Date: Tuesday, 8th July, 2025
• Kickoff: 19:00 UK / 20:00 CEST
• Venue: Park Hall (Oswestry)

On Tuesday evening, Wales and North Macedonian champions TNS and Shkendija will face off in the Champions League first qualifying round. The first leg will take place at Park Hall in Oswestry.

TNS have been a dominant force in Wales, winning their fourth title in a row and 12th in the last 16 years. In Europe, the Saints haven't been too successful, rarely going past the second Qualifying round. However, last season, they finally grabbed their first Group stage appearance. Yes, it was in the Conference League, but it was still a massive success. Before the start of the duel, TNS are the favorites to win the first leg but are the underdog to come out of the first round. Right now, the odds on that bet are 1.95.

Shkendija, one of the top North Macedonian teams, secured the title last year after a three-year wait. When it comes to Europe, Shkendija has been pretty bad in recent years, failing to come out of the first round of the Conference League Qualifiers in back-to-back years. They are also a team that has never reached the Group phase of any European competition. If they go past the first round, they will face off against the winner of the FCSB/Inter Escaldes duel.

TNS vs Shkendija pick: Under 2.5 goals

TNS have been pretty bad offensively in the pre-season, scoring three goals in total vs Newtown, Ayr, and Larne. Due to a poor offense, they were under 2.5 goals in two of the last three games. In Europe, they also struggled to score, failing to do so in seven of the previous 12 matches - 58%.

Shkendija also had poor offensive displays in the pre-season, scoring four goals in four matches. When it comes to Europe, Shkendija scored one or zero goals in the last six games. Because of this, they were under 2.5 goals in five of the previous six matches, with an average of 1.83 gpg.

Neither team impressed offensively in the pre-season and the recent European games, so we believe that an under 2.5 goals is the safest option for this CL Qualifier match.