- Benfica are the 1.18 odds-on favourites for this UEFA Europa League Qualification matchup, with the draw 6.6. Benfica have won 3 and lost 2 of their last 5 games, winning their last 2 in a row. Hearts have won 2 and lost 3 of their last 5, losing their last 2 in a row. Benfica have scored 3.17 goals and conceded 1.00 per home game (W4, D1, L1). Hearts have conceded 2.00 goals per away game on average, letting in 12 goals in their 6 away games across all competitions (W2, D1, L3). Benfica's top marksman Vangelis Pavlidis has scored 4 goals in 2 UEFA Europa League Qualification matches this season and 6 of Benfica's 14 goals across all competitions in their last 5 matches. Hearts have been scoring plenty as well, with Amadou Ba-Sy scoring 2 of their 5 goals in the last 5 games.
Benfica are the clear favourites
SL Benfica are the 1.18 favourites to beat Hearts Of Midlothian FC at the Estadio da Luz on Thursday and that's the price they should be as they come into this UEFA Europa League Qualification game in much stronger form, winning 3 and losing 2 of their last 5 and on a 2-game winning streak.
Hearts have won 5, drawn 1 and lost 4 of their last 10 across all competitions, but their recent form has dipped, winning 2 and losing 3 of their last 5, including back-to-back defeats to SK Sturm Graz, losing 4-0 away and 0-2 at home in Champions League qualifying. Those two results have really taken the edge off the Jambos and they come into this game as massive outsiders.
Hearts can be vulnerable in transition
Wouter Vrancken has turned Hearts into a more attacking team this season, one that will press high and move the ball forward quickly, but the early signs have been that they can be caught out in transition, and Benfica look like they can exploit that.
Marco Silva has been pushing his team to be more vertical and play through the half-spaces, and they have been getting some joy in recent games. Benfica have won 5-1 at home to CF Os Belenenses in a friendly match and 5-0 at home to FC St. Gallen in Europa League qualifying, so the attacking players are scoring and they should be able to get at the Jambos.
The odds will be the main guide here as Benfica should be in control and the goal markets are probably where the value lies, with Over 2.5 at 1.47 and Both Teams to Score No at 1.6. Benfica will win at a very short price, but there are more goals in the home side than the market reflects and they can easily beat Hearts at both ends of the pitch if they stay compact at the back.
