- Recent form: Zimbru's last 5 Super Liga 2026/2027 results: W1, D3, L1
- Overall form: Noah's last 5 results: W3, D2, L0
- Home form: Zimbru are unbeaten in 3 Super Liga 2026/2027 home games (W1, D2)
First leg should be a battle
Zimbru setup
Zimbru's coach Oleksandr Poklonskyi has been at the helm since 5 June 2026 and he's built an organised team capable of holding their own in the right conditions. His 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 set-up is compact, disciplined and capable of countering when they can spring from the second line, as they did against Sheriff Tiraspol in a 4-2 defeat in their most recent away game.
Noah approach
Sandro Perkovic has been in charge of Noah since 1 July 2025 and has made his side more fluid, up-tempo and dangerous in the wide areas than Zimbru. Noah likes to overload the flanks and push the pace of the game, which has the knock-on effect of making their opponents sit deep and defend for long periods. The only problem is that Noah are capable of coming out of the pressing trap and scoring when they've taken the lead, as shown by their 5-0 away win at Urartu Banants Yerevan.
Zimbru are not walkovers
Noah are the clear favorites at 1.6 for Thursday's encounter at Zimbru Stadium in Moldova, but Zimbru are available at 5.0 with the tie still to be decided and the draw 3.9. Noah are the right favourites to win this second-qualifying-round tie, but there's plenty to be said about the hosts' ability to stay in the game and make it a tight battle.
Zimbru's recent results in the Super Liga 2026/2027 are perhaps a little better than they look on paper with a 4-2 away defeat at Sheriff Tiraspol and a 1-1 home draw with Real Sireti not providing the best momentum for this clash. But they are not losing right now, so it's just about whether they have enough to deny Noah the points.
Noah’s away record is a concern
It has been a mixed bag of 4 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats in Zimbru's last ten matches in all competitions, while Noah's record of seven wins and three draws over the same number of games is much more impressive. But one thing to keep in mind is that Noah's superb away record has been established in a different football culture to Moldova's, so it might not be as applicable as it appears.
In all competitions, Zimbru are undefeated at home with three wins and two draws in their last five games, so they will make things difficult for Noah in Chisinau. Noah are also undefeated away from home in their last six games, winning four and drawing two, so it is a tough one to call.
Take the visitors to justify odds
The way Noah play does not suit Zimbru's gameplan, which is to sit in a low-to-mid block, stay compact between the lines and look to counter or create set-piece danger. This could be a classic block-vs-press battle, but Noah will have a lot to say if they can pin Zimbru back in their own half and cause problems with their wide play.
- Noah average 2.83 goals away from home across all competitions, which is 17 in total, so they are capable of causing a lot of damage in Moldova if they play at their best level.
- Zimbru average 2.40 scored and only 0.80 conceded at home, which means they are pretty efficient in the games they control, but not prolific enough to get away from Noah if this gets scrappy.
- Our main selection is Noah or a draw on the double chance option because even though Noah are on a hot streak of ten games unbeaten, the home team's record is also very good and they have a way of staying in games.
