Our prediction for this Europa League match:
PSV
Match Time & Date:
22/08/2019
02:30 PM
Prediction: 2-1
Apollon
Despite playing out a goalless draw with Haugesund in the return leg of the Europa League third qualifying round, PSV eventually made it to the play-offs. The Eredivisie club have yet to find their best form, but Thursday’s football match against Apollon could be the turning point for Marc van Bommel’s troops. PSV are likely to go all guns blazing at Apollon in the first leg and seeing that this time out the hosts need a win, we are tempted to put our money on Steven Bergwijn and Co.
The Cypriotes, on the other hand, did well to eliminate Austria Wien in the two-legged tie, but we do not believe that they are capable of claiming yet another major scalp in the Europa League qualifiers. It has to be noted that the two clubs meet for the first time ever in European competitions.
Highlighted Player (Gaston Pereiro):
Uruguay midfielder Gaston Pereiro has been with PSV since 2015 when he was transferred from his boyhood club Nacional. An attacking midfielder is a member of the Uruguayan U-20 national team and is yet to receive a senior call-up he hopes will come with fine performances at the club he is contracted to until 2020.
Pereiro is a flamboyant midfielder who adds creativity and flair to PSV’s play. The Uruguay international has already achieved the cult status with the supporters, despite being at the club a little over a year. Pereiro scored a brace against PSV’s most feared and detested rivals Ajax, writing his name into the club’s history books as his presence proved to be pivotal in earning three points that proved to be the difference between the two rivals at the end of the season.
Gaston Pereiro made 30 Eredivisie appearances in his maiden season with PSV scoring 12 goals in the process and fans hope that the Uruguay midfielder will add up to the tally in the new season as well.
Highlighted Team (Apollon):
Apollon are a Cypriot football club based in Limassol. The Kianolefki wear blue shirts and dark blue shorts when playing at home ground and they welcome their rivals at Tsirion Stadium. The venue can hold up to 13.331 spectators and it was opened in 1975.
Apollon Limassol won their first domestic trophy in the 1990/1991 season, with the team finishing the campaign three points clear of second-placed Anorthosis Famagusta. The Kianolefki won their second Cypriot First Division trophy three years later (1993/1994) and they had to wait 12 years before they clinched their third and last domestic title (2005/2006).
Speaking of the Cypriot cup, Apollon Limassol won their ninth trophy in the competition in 2017, with the team beating APOEL in the title game. The club was founded back in April 14, 1954 and it has to be noted that they suffered a loss in each of their eight games in their debut season in the second division.
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