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Sheriff Tiraspol logo
Champions League | Third Qualifying Round | 1st Leg
Aug 2, 2022 at 6pm UK
Bolshaya Sportivnaya Arena

Sheriff Tiraspol
1 - 2
Plzen

Akanbi (36' pen.)
Kpozo (10'), Kiki (28'), Abalora (31'), Akanbi (79')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Chory (41' pen.), Bucha (55')
Kalvach (22'), Hejda (50'), Kopic (78')

Preview: Sheriff Tiraspol vs. Viktoria Plzen - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League clash between Sheriff Tiraspol and Viktoria Plzen, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Sheriff Tiraspol and Viktoria Plzen will both aim to take one step closer to the Champions League group stages during Tuesday's qualifying third round first-leg tie at the Zimbru Stadium.

The hosts scraped past Maribor to make it this far, while the Czech giants ran out 7-1 aggregate winners over Finland's HJK Helsinki.


Match preview

Sheriff Tiraspol's Sebastien Thill celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates on September 28, 2021© Reuters

History repeated itself for Sheriff Tiraspol in the second round of Champions League qualifying, as they only needed the one goal to get the job done against Maribor in the second leg after a goalless stalemate away from home.

Not until the 88th minute was the deadlock broken by substitute Momo Yansane, as the Moldovan champions - who also beat Zrinjski 1-0 in the first qualifying round after drawing the first leg away from home - kept up their stellar streak of defensive resilience to advance.

Stjepan Tomas's side have now gone four Champions League games without conceding a goal this term, but their defence was breached on the opening matchday in the Moldovan Super Liga on Saturday, being forced to accept a 1-1 draw with Zimbru away from home.

Nevertheless, that stalemate extended Sheriff's unbeaten run in all tournaments to a whopping 16 matches, and the 2021-22 group stage participants can boast eight wins from their last 10 Champions League home matches, only losing to Real Madrid and Inter Milan in that time.

Sheriff Tiraspol could not demonstrate a sense of ruthlessness in their battle with Maribor, but there was no hint of profligacy when Viktoria Plzen played host to HJK, as the Czech powerhouses hit the Finnish champions for five to advance with ease.

Michal Bilek's side already had a 2-1 lead to boast from the first leg and scored three of their five goals in the return leg during the opening 45 minutes, with Jan Sykora bagging a brace while both centre-backs in Ludek Pernica and Lukas Hejda also netted.

As is the case with their upcoming third-round opponents, Viktoria Plzen also opened their league campaign with a draw at the weekend - playing out a 2-2 stalemate away to Teplice - meaning that they are already playing catch-up in the race to defend their title.

Plzen have three Champions League group-stage appearances to their name but failed to even make the Europa Conference League proper in 2021-22, and Belik's side are therefore in no mood to see their European journey come to another early end here.

Sheriff Tiraspol Champions League form:
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • W

Sheriff Tiraspol form (all competitions):
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D

Viktoria Plzen Champions League form:
  • W
  • W

Viktoria Plzen form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • D


Team News

Sheriff Tiraspol's Sebastien Thill celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on October 19, 2021© Reuters

Sheriff Tiraspol midfielder Steve Ambri was withdrawn at half time in the draw with Zimbru at the weekend, which could further restrict Tomas's options on the left while Iyayi Atiemwen remains out with a knock.

Atiemwen's Nigerian counterpart Rasheed Akanbi should therefore earn a start in the final third, and Yansane certainly ought to displace Kay Tejan at the tip of the attack.

Regi Lushkja and Stjepan Radeljic will both miss the second leg if they pick up bookings, but that is unlikely to come into Tomas's thinking for Tuesday's encounter.

Meanwhile, Viktoria Plzen captain Hejda was sent off in the dying embers of the weekend's 2-2 draw with Teplice, but the centre-back will be fine to line up in the Champions League.

Petr Pejsa is still recovering from a long-term knee injury and will not be available, but the visitors should otherwise be working with a fully-fit squad on Tuesday.

Jan Kliment netted off the bench in the 5-0 win over HJK and followed that up with his side's first goal in the weekend's clash with Teplice, and Belik should consider the 28-year-old for a starting role here.

Sheriff Tiraspol possible starting lineup:
Abalora; Guedes, Kiki, Radeljic, Kpozo; Badolo, Kyabou, Lushkja; Pernambuco, Yansane, Akanbi

Viktoria Plzen possible starting lineup:
Stanek; Reznik, Pernica, Hejda, Havel; Bucha, Kalvach; Kopic, Sykora, Mosquera; Kliment


SM words green background

We say: Sheriff Tiraspol 1-1 Viktoria Plzen

Sheriff may not have dazzled and delighted on the attacking front so far, but their steadfast defending is sure to serve them well against a Plzen side whose own talents certainly lie in the final third.

Both sides may be carrying a bit of fatigue after returning to league action at the weekend, and Plzen were very fortunate to even come away with a point in their game, so we can anticipate the resilient Moldovans holding on for a first-leg draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Written by
Ben Knapton

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Game History

How you voted: Sheriff Tiraspol vs Plzen

Sheriff Tiraspol
43.3%
Draw
26.0%
Viktoria Plzen
30.7%
150
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Sheriff Tiraspol's Sebastien Thill celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on October 19, 2021
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