Celje
Champions League
2nd Qualifying Round
Wed , Aug 26 , 2020 18:00
1 - 2
Molde
Celje
Molde
1 - 2
Slovenian football champions NK Celje will host the Norwegian champions, Molde, at the Stadion Celje for the 2nd qualifying round for the Group stage of the Champions League.
The Celje fans got no reasons to joy from their last match and first, of the season in the domestic league, they were beaten 2-0 on the home ground vs Mura, but obviously, their minds were on the next with Molde. In Europe, things were different, in the 1st qualifying round Celje won 3-0 an at Budapest where they played against Dundalk.
Slovenian champions had a tough time to defeat the Irish team and scored almost from all individual errors from the rivals who haven't been able to create any clear-cut chances. Celje may lack experience in Europe but they have plenty of pace and skill with the best attack & defense record in the Slovenian Prva Liga. Mitja Lotric and Dario Vizinger scored 41 goals (Celje scored 74) and had 23 assists between them. Also, Luka Kerin (10) and Ivan Bozic (9) scored 19 goals between them, so the numbers suggest that 60 of the 74 Celje goals are coming from their front four in a fluid attack system with a lot of movement were Lotric is often the creator behind most of the Celje attacks.
Celje likes to play as a counter-attacking team, but in fast transition, they leave themselves exposed in an attempt to break quickly. Rewards for their good performances in the last season came from the coach of the Slovenian national football team, Matjaž Kek, who will count on the two Celje players for the first time for the League of Nations games against Greece and Moldova. Goalkeeper Matjaž Rozman and captain Mitja Lotric received Kek's invitation and they will join the national team after weekend.
Molde easily advanced to the next round of the Champions League qualifiers when they won the 5-0 at home against KuPS. The Finnish league champion played decent football, but Molde was too strong. The home team quickly took hold of the match and created three good opportunities during the first quarter. Eirik Hestad Magnus Wolff Eikrem and Brynhildsen were close but Molde got an advantage in the 26th minute when Eikrem found Hestad who curled the ball beautifully for 1-0. Just before the break, the home team doubled with fantastic attacking play, Eikrem gets an easy job of putting it past Virtanen. In the second half, Molde continued to play attractive football, but KuPS were certainly not harmless and they should score from a couple of decent chances. When Omoijuanfo increased to 3-0 in the 68th minute, the hope of KuPS disappeared. Holmgren Pedersen scored fourth and Knudtzon finished the game for final 5-0.
They also played good match vs Odd in Norwegian league and won 2-0 but also rivals created a couple of usable opportunities and failed to put the ball in the net. Molde missed the penalty in 75th minute with James unable to put the ball past Rossbach and when the game could end goalless, the Nigerian scored in 77th minute after corner. In the fifth minute of the added time, Holmgren Pedersen easily runs all over the field for the final 2-0.
With two wins in last matches, they have confidence before Celje but it must be said that Molde plays their home games on artificial turf, and they face some difficulties when they are switching on the real grass. The pressure to perform on the road is increasing for their coach Moe, with the last three away finished with the defeats. They are seven points behind leaders Bodo in the domestic league.
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Both teams have no trouble scoring and Celje looks like a team that could defend better. They are less experienced side because this is their first time playing in qualifiers of the Champions League but the home advantage for them and Molde problems with playing on the real grass could give them the edge. We prefer home win as a reasonable bet.
4-4-2
4-2-3-1
Celje
Molde
03.10.2021. | Koper | VS | Celje | 2-2 |
D
|
27.09.2021. | Celje | VS | Tabor Sežana | 2-2 |
D
|
23.09.2021. | Maribor | VS | Celje | 2-0 |
L
|
18.09.2021. | Olimpija | VS | Celje | 1-0 |
L
|
15.09.2021. | Tabor Sežana | VS | Celje | 0-2 |
W
|
11.09.2021. | Celje | VS | Domžale | 3-1 |
W
|
27.08.2021. | Celje | VS | Radomlje | 2-0 |
W
|
22.08.2021. | Mura | VS | Celje | 1-0 |
L
|
13.08.2021. | Celje | VS | Aluminij | 0-0 |
D
|
07.08.2021. | Bravo | VS | Celje | 2-1 |
L
|
27.09.2021. | Celje | VS | Tabor Sežana | 2-2 |
D
|
11.09.2021. | Celje | VS | Domžale | 3-1 |
W
|
27.08.2021. | Celje | VS | Radomlje | 2-0 |
W
|
13.08.2021. | Celje | VS | Aluminij | 0-0 |
D
|
31.07.2021. | Celje | VS | Koper | 1-3 |
L
|
18.07.2021. | Celje | VS | Maribor | 2-3 |
L
|
07.07.2021. | Celje | VS | Hajduk Split | 3-0 |
W
|
02.07.2021. | Celje | VS | U Craiova 1948 | 0-0 |
D
|
26.06.2021. | Celje | VS | Gorica | 0-1 |
L
|
25.05.2021. | Celje | VS | Olimpija | 1-2 |
L
|
03.10.2021. | Koper | VS | Celje | 2-2 |
D
|
23.09.2021. | Maribor | VS | Celje | 2-0 |
L
|
18.09.2021. | Olimpija | VS | Celje | 1-0 |
L
|
15.09.2021. | Tabor Sežana | VS | Celje | 0-2 |
W
|
22.08.2021. | Mura | VS | Celje | 1-0 |
L
|
07.08.2021. | Bravo | VS | Celje | 2-1 |
L
|
23.07.2021. | Tabor Sežana | VS | Celje | 0-1 |
W
|
11.07.2021. | Lokomotiv Moskva | VS | Celje | 1-0 |
L
|
19.05.2021. | Gorica | VS | Celje | 0-2 |
W
|
08.05.2021. | Tabor Sežana | VS | Celje | 0-1 |
W
|
10.11.2024. | Sarpsborg 08 | VS | Molde | 2-2 |
D
|
03.11.2024. | Molde | VS | Bodø / Glimt | 3-3 |
D
|
27.10.2024. | Haugesund | VS | Molde | 0-3 |
W
|
19.10.2024. | Molde | VS | Sandefjord | 0-1 |
L
|
03.10.2021. | Odd | VS | Molde | 1-3 |
W
|
26.09.2021. | Molde | VS | Viking | 2-2 |
D
|
22.09.2021. | Bryne | VS | Molde | 1-4 |
W
|
19.09.2021. | Vålerenga | VS | Molde | 1-1 |
D
|
12.09.2021. | Molde | VS | Mjøndalen | 4-0 |
W
|
29.08.2021. | Kristiansund | VS | Molde | 2-0 |
L
|
03.11.2024. | Molde | VS | Bodø / Glimt | 3-3 |
D
|
19.10.2024. | Molde | VS | Sandefjord | 0-1 |
L
|
26.09.2021. | Molde | VS | Viking | 2-2 |
D
|
12.09.2021. | Molde | VS | Mjøndalen | 4-0 |
W
|
08.08.2021. | Molde | VS | Haugesund | 5-4 |
W
|
11.07.2021. | Molde | VS | Odd | 5-0 |
W
|
30.06.2021. | Molde | VS | Strømsgodset | 3-0 |
W
|
20.06.2021. | Molde | VS | Stabæk | 2-1 |
W
|
16.06.2021. | Molde | VS | Sarpsborg 08 | 4-1 |
W
|
27.05.2021. | Molde | VS | Vålerenga | 2-3 |
L
|
10.11.2024. | Sarpsborg 08 | VS | Molde | 2-2 |
D
|
27.10.2024. | Haugesund | VS | Molde | 0-3 |
W
|
03.10.2021. | Odd | VS | Molde | 1-3 |
W
|
22.09.2021. | Bryne | VS | Molde | 1-4 |
W
|
19.09.2021. | Vålerenga | VS | Molde | 1-1 |
D
|
29.08.2021. | Kristiansund | VS | Molde | 2-0 |
L
|
15.08.2021. | Viking | VS | Molde | 3-2 |
L
|
01.08.2021. | Hødd | VS | Molde | 1-2 |
W
|
25.07.2021. | Spjelkavik | VS | Molde | 1-4 |
W
|
18.07.2021. | Lillestrøm | VS | Molde | 1-1 |
D
|
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Daniel Garcia is originally from Basque Country, and as a kid who grew up just a few streets from Mendizorrotza Stadium, the choice of Deportivo Alavés as his favourite club is more than obvious. Because of his studies, he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Sports Journalism. Daniel plays football on the weekends, but that does not stop him from watching all La Liga matches. He believes that the outcome of a match can be predicted if all the parameters are analyzed well, including form of the players and weather conditions. Currently he is living in Belgrade, and is in love with a Serbian girl who works as a journalist at one of the famous Sport Channels in Serbia.