Our football match prediction:
Zorya
Match Time & Date:
23/08/2018
19:30 GMT
Prediction: 1-3
RB Leipzig
Despite playing out a 1-1 draw with Universitatea in the second leg of the Europa League third qualifying round, Leipzig set up a meeting with Zorya in the play-off. The Red Bulls are seen as hot favourites to win the double-header against the Ukrainian outfit, but they will have to prove their worth on the field. Coach Ralph Rangnick rested several first-team regulars in the 1-1 draw with Universitatea, but seeing that he is likely to field the best possible side against Zorya, away win should be considered. A man to watch in the away team will be German rising start Timo Werner, who scored 13 goals in the Bundesliga last season. The Ukrainians are likely to adopt a defence-minded approach in Thursday’s football match, but we do not believe that they are capable of preventing Leipzig pacey attackers from scoring in the first leg.
Highlighted Player (Yussuf Poulsen):
Yussuf Poulsen is a Danish footballer who started his youth career at BK Skjold. At the age of 14 he joined Lyngby and he made his debut for the first team on 4 December, 2011. He came as a substitute in a match against Horsens after 84 minutes, substituting Mathias Tauber. However, he made no more than five league appearances for Lyngby in the 2011/2012 season. Despite the fact that Lyngby dropped to Denmark 1st Division, Poulsen did not leave the club in the summer transfer window and it has to be noted that he made 30 appearances for the Vikings in the 2012/2013 campaign. On 4 July, 2013 he signed a deal with Leipzig and he has been playing for the German outfit ever since. The 193-cm-tall attacker is capable of playing as both right and left winger. Poulsen’s father is Tanzanian, but he decided to represent the Danish national team. He made his debut for the senior team against Albania on 11 October, 2014. Poulsen scored his first ever goal for Denmark in a 2-0 win over Serbia on June 13, 2015.
Highlighted Team (RB Leipzig):
Leipzig are a professional football club founded in 2009. Die Bullen (The Bulls) were unbeaten in the 2012/2013 Regionalliga Nordost and, as a result, they secured promotion to the 3. Liga. After finishing the 2013/2014 3. Liga campaign in second place in the standings, Leipzig were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga and they competed in the German second tier for two seasons. Despite suffering a loss to Karlsruher on the last day of the 2015/2016 2. Bundesliga campaign, die Bullen secured promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time ever. Leipzig play their home games at Red Bull Arena (42,959) and it has to be noted that the stadium was opened in 1954. Die Bullen wear white shirts and red shorts while their away kit is blue and yellow. Ralph Hasenhuttl was appointed as the team’s manager at the end of the 2015/2016 season and you should know that the likes of Ralf Rangnick, Achim Beierlorzer, Alexander Zorniger, Peter Pacult, Tomas Oral and Tino Vogel were in charge of the team in the past as well.
