Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Ajax
Match Time & Date:
14/08/2018
02:30 PM
Prediction: 2-1
St Liege
Despite leading 2-0 at half-time, Ajax eventually failed to beat Standard in Liege in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round. The two teams played out a 2-2 draw at Stade Maurice Dufrasne and, as a result, the Amsterdammers are considered hot favourites to book their place in the next qualifying round. The Red Devils, on the other hand, have no other choice but to go all-out attack in Tuesday’s football match, but beating Ajax at Amsterdam Arena is easier said than done. Summer signing Dusan Tadic has been in a fine form at the start of the season and seeing that former Real Madrid attacker Huntelaar has already found his goal-scoring touch, we believe that there is a big value in betting on the Dutch outfit. In their last meeting in Amsterdam Ajax recorded a hard-fought 1-0 win over Standard Liege.
Highlighted Player (Joel Veltman):
Joel Veltman is a Dutch footballer who was born in Velsen on 15 January, 1992. Veltman started his youth career at VV Ijmuiden and in 2011 he was spotted by Ajax scouts. In the 2012/2013 Eredivisie campaign he played for the first team and he made seven league appearances for the Amsterdammers back then.
The centre back, who plays as a right back as well made six appearances for Jong Ajax as well, scoring one goal for the team in the Eerste Divisie. Veltman has 8 caps for Netherlands U20 team and he made his debut for the first team in November 2013 against Colombia. He started the match and he played 90 minutes in the goalless draw with the South American side.
Joel Veltman represented the Oranje at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. It has to be noted that the Dutch defender made 34 league appearances for Ajax in the 2015/2016 Eredivisie campaign, scoring one goal in the process. In the 2013/2014 season he won his second Eredivisie trophy with Ajax.
Highlighted Team (St Liege):
Standard are a Belgian football club based in Liege. The club was founded back in 1898 and 11 years later they joined Belgian First League. Les Rouches (the Reds) immediately dropped to the lower leagues, but in 1921 they returned to the Belgian top flight. Standard won their first Belgian League trophy in 1958, but you should have in mind that they were level on points with second-placed Royal Antwerp.
In 2009 the Reds clinched their tenth domestic title, beating Anderlecht in the title game. Talented midfielder Axel Witsel scored the winner for Standard in the 1-0 triumph over their bitter rivals. Standard play their home games at Stade Maurice Dufrasne, the venue that was opened in 1909. The capacity of the stadium is 30 023.
Maurice Dufrasne was the club’s chairman from 1909 until 1931. Speaking of the club’s European success, Standard participated in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1982, losing to La Liga giants Barcelona in the title game.
