- FK Zira have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five games (W2 D2 L1).
- FC Torpedo Kutaisi have won one, drawn one and lost three of their last five (W1 D1 L3).
- Zira have won their last two home games (W2), while Torpedo have conceded an average of 1.00 goals per away game across all competitions (W2 D2 L1).
Familiar foes do not make for a flowing football game
Betting favourite FK Zira can edge out a close European tie against a dogged FC Torpedo Kutaisi at Mehdi Huseynzade, but the Georgians can deny their hosts a resounding win on Wednesday. Zira are marked at 1.57 with the visitors at 4.57 and the draw at 3.91, which seems about right considering the match's intricacies.
Rashad Sadyqov's Zira are built on structure and discipline and are very much the same side they were when he took over in July 2020. The Azerbaijanis play with a compact back four that can shift to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 in possession, before unleashing their pace and power in transition.
Ruan is their danger man and the Brazilian has scored three of Zira's six goals in their last five, but as a whole, the side look more solid than ruthless. Across all current competitions, Zira have won three, drawn five and lost two of their last ten games, so a big win looks unlikely here.
Torpedo are a tough nut to crack
Torpedo boss Steve Kean has the Georgians playing a well-drilled, data-led game in which sitting deep, staying compact and nicking the game when they can in transition are the big themes.
Away from home, Torpedo have tended to sit in a low or mid block and although they are not prolific, they have plenty of quality in their set-up. Komnen Andric has been on a hot streak of late and scored two of Torpedo's five goals in the last five, so he gives them a good chance of finding the back of the net.
Torpedo's last three results have been ugly, with defeats to Samgurali Tskaltubo and Dinamo Batumi sandwiching a 0-0 draw with Spaeri, but Zira have been good at home, winning their last two without conceding a defeat. Zira's home record across all leagues and competitions stands at two wins, two draws and one loss from five, while they have scored 1.20 goals per game at home and conceded the same amount.
Spoils to be shared in Azerbaijan
We think the match will be cagey, with Zira trying to control the tempo and Torpedo looking to nick it in the transitions. Under 2.5 goals is our top selection at 1.98 and Both Teams To Score: No at 1.95 looks a good price too. A 1-0 or 2-0 win is the most natural way for Zira to get the job done here, but we wouldn't be shocked if Torpedo nicked it by the same margin.
