- Austria Wien are unbeaten in 5 (W3, D2) after a 2-0 away win in Latvia against FK Liepaja in last week's UEFA Conference League Qualification first leg.
- Austria Wien are 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat from 5 at home across all competitions, while FK Liepaja are 1 win and 3 defeats from 4 on the road.
- Austria Wien have conceded just 6 goals across their last 5 home games, while FK Liepaja average just 0.75 goals per game away.
Austria to get the job done
FK Austria Wien hold the advantage ahead of Thursday's UEFA Conference League Qualification second leg against FK Liepaja at Generali Arena, where the Austrian Bundesliga club should have enough quality to finish the job.
Stephan Helm's hosts were a cut above Liepaja in the first leg and got the clean sheet and away goals to prove it, while they come into this fixture having been in very good form.
Austria Wien are 5 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats across their last 10 in all competitions, so the odds of 1.23 on a home win in this second leg looks very much in the ballpark.
Liepaja lack the quality and consistency to push hosts
The visitors arrive in Vienna after 3 wins and 2 defeats in their previous 5, so their consistency is questionable.
The Latvian side do have a goal in them and won't just sit back and hope for the best on Thursday, but their 2-0 home defeat to Austria Wien showed the ceiling to their ability.
Vladimir Vassiljev's men will play a direct, wide-heavy game in a 4-2-3-1, where they try to get the ball into the box early and win duels.
Austria Wien are a more structured side and much more valuable, with Helm's 3-4-2-1 system compact and versatile in protecting the central lanes while allowing them to counter quickly when they have the ball.
Ede Oloko is Liepaja's leading marksman in UEFA Conference League Qualification with 1 goal in 3 appearances, while Fellipe Vieira has scored 3 of the club's last 8 and is a constant threat from a wide role.
Florian Wustinger leads the way for Austria Wien with 1 in 1 from the same number of UEFA Conference League Qualification games, while he's been sharp in the final third.
Austria Wien should win this game and the odds, plus the first-leg victory, suggest a controlled win rather than shootout, so we're going for Over 2.5 goals at 1.47 and Both Teams To Score - No at 1.7 as the hosts are a very capable defensive unit.
The home side can keep things tight and this one should be about who wins the second balls and defends the box well, which we believe Austria Wien will do.
