- FK Zira have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five matches.
- FC Torpedo Kutaisi have won one, drawn one and lost three of their last five.
Tight clash anticipated in Azerbaijan
FK Zira are the 57/100 favourites to beat Georgia's FC Torpedo Kutaisi in a UEFA Conference League qualification fixture scheduled for Wednesday, but the hosts' price is still high enough to take given the Georgians are 357/100 with the draw at 291/100.
Rashad Sadyqov has been in charge of the hosts since July 2020 and has continued to build teams on structure and discipline. The Blueshirts have looked sharp at home in their recent games, winning the last two without defeat, and their overall record in their current competitions is three wins, five draws and two defeats from the last ten.
Torpedo are in poor form.
Torpedo have a mixed bag of results in their most recent five games - a 0-0 draw with Spaeri and two defeats to local rivals Samgurali Tskaltubo and Dinamo Batumi.
Steve Kean's men are well organised and he is a coach that plays data-driven football where compactness and management of matches are key themes. Torpedo will sit in a lower or mid-block away from home, and will be looking to hurt Zira on the counter-attack rather than in possession.
Zira should have the edge
Kean's side have a good away record so far, but Zira's superior home rhythm and the market suggests the Azeri side are the more likely winners here. Torpedo will need to get on the front foot and nick the win, but Zira should have enough to edge this out.
Torpedo have played their best football when they have been compact and have ridden their luck a little, but with Zira a side that are solid and play vertical football, the best play here is Under 2.5 goals at 49/50 and Both Teams To Score: No at 19/20.
Brazilian Ruan is Zira's danger man and has scored three of their six goals in their last five. Zira will get forward when they can and he can punish the visitors at some point during this game, but it will probably be a 1-0 or 2-0 type affair with the market odds suggesting a cagey affair.
