- Match result: Aluminij and FC Sheriff Tiraspol drew 0-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 second-round tie in Tiraspol.
- Tactical preview: Aluminij are a low-block, reactive unit that will try to squeeze Sheriff through the middle on Thursday.
- Sheriff away form: Sheriff's away record across all competitions is 1 win, 3 draws and 1 defeat in 5 this term.
Cagey encounter anticipated in Slovenia
There should be no let up in Aluminij's attempt to nullify Sheriff Tiraspol after the two sides played out a 0-0 draw at Sheriff's ground in the first leg of UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 earlier today. The Slovenians can get as cagey as any team in Europe and they may well frustrate their opponents again on Thursday.
Jura Arsić's side, who have won one, drawn two and lost two of their last five matches, set up in a compact block away from home in the hope of shutting the ball down in congested areas and forcing opponents wide where they can be nullified. At home, they can be more flexible and have played in 3-4-3, 4-3-3 and a tighter 4-4-2 this season – generally the latter when up against it.
Arsić's men, who are priced at 3.86 to win in the early odds, went down 3-0 away to leaders NK Maribor in their last Prva Liga 2025/2026 fixture and were held to a 0-0 draw by Sheriff in the opening leg earlier today.
Sheriff’s structure-first approach should test Aluminij’s block
Odds and form
Sheriff are the slight favorites at 1.95, but the draw at 3.3 is a good play here as this tie is evenly poised. Victor Mihailov's men arrive in better form, going unbeaten in their last 5 with two wins and three draws, than Aluminij, whose record across the same number of games is 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats.
Recent results and tactical identity
Mihailov's team are solid but not particularly potent as they have only scored four goals in their last 5 away matches across all competitions.
But Sheriff are a much better team than FC Real Sireti or Politehnica Chisinau and should be able to control the pace of this matchup. Mihailov, who has been at the helm of the club since 1st June 2025, has imposed a pragmatic, results-first identity on the side, which operates from a solid 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 shape in which the pivots are the key cogs.
- The Moldovans' recent sequence of results includes a 3-0 home win over FC Real Sireti in the Super Liga 2026/2027, a 0-0 away draw with Politehnica Chisinau and that 0-0 draw with Aluminij.
Visitors can nick it if it stays in the mud
The structure-first aspect of Sheriff's approach should be well suited to testing Aluminij's low block, who will need to be patient and hit on the counterattack to get any joy in the game. The visitors' best bet is control, territory and a late breakthrough, but Aluminij can certainly make it tough for them on their home turf at Kidricevo Sports Park.
The hosts have conceded only two goals at home across all competitions and that average of 0.67 goals against is probably the best for any side in their domestic division, so we'll take Sheriff to edge a close game here. But if Aluminij can keep the contest in the mud, the draw is very much live.
