Viking and Sligo Rovers will face off at SR Bank Arena in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round on Thursday night.
Viking commenced their Conference League qualification campaign in the second round where they did well to cause an upset against Sparta Prague that they will still be reminiscing over.
They did well to hold the Czechs to goalless draw in the first leg at away before coming from behind to beat them 2-1 at home in the returning leg last week, thanks to last gasp goal from Mai Traore.
The Norwegian outfits will now feel confident of progressing, but they face an equally motivate side, Sligo Rovers, whose most notable experience in Europe had been an Intertoto Cup appearance in 1996, but that is sure to have been replaced given their exploits over the past few weeks in the Conference League.
The Irish outfits began their qualification campaign in the first round, where they saw out Bala Town 4-3 on penalties, following a 2-2 draw on aggregate, before they emphatically upset Motherwell 3-0 on aggregate in the second round.
However, everything hasn’t been positive for Sligo as they head into the third round off a 2-1 defeat to Wexford in the FAI Cup last Sunday. Therefore they need to make amends before the Thursday’s clash if they to extend their life in the European dugout and edge a step closer to reaching the group stage.
Viking vs Sligo Rovers head to head
This will be the first encounter between the two sides and we expect a closely-fought contest. Take a look at their previous results;
Home
- Viking 2-1 Sparta Prague
- Valerenga 4-2 Viking
- Sparta Prague 0-0 Viking
- Viking 2-1 Kristiansund
- Lillestrom 0-1 Viking
Away
- Sligo Rovers 1-2 Wexford
- Sligo Rovers 2-0 Motherwell
- Motherwell 0-1 Sligo Rovers
- Sligo Rovers 0-2 UC Dublin
- Sligo Rovers 4-3 Bala (AP)
Viking team news
Viking only have doubts on Zlatko Tripic die to a knock he picked last Thursday against Sparta Prague.
Sligo Rovers team news
Sligo Rovers have no injury concerns ahead of the clash.
Prediction and odds
- Double chance (1, X)
- Both sides to score
- Goals over 1.5
