Preview: Lincoln Red Imps vs Mjallby AIF – prediction, team news, fixtures

A place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League will be at stake on Tuesday when Lincoln Red Imps host Mjallby AIF at the Europa Sports Complex in Gibraltar in the second leg of that fixture.

In the opening game between them, Mjallby scored a 3-0 goal which put them in the driver’s seat going into this game.

Game preview

Lincoln Red Imps have a huge mountain to climb if they are to progress to the third round of the Champions League qualifiers for the first time.

Juanma Pavon saw his side score more goals in the first leg of this game than in any previous Champions League qualifying campaign (two).

The Gibraltar club must win on Tuesday to have any hope of progressing to the next stage of the competition.

It may seem bleak for them at the moment, but they have won nine of their home games played in all competitions.

Three of those wins were by three or more goals, while they conceded three or more goals in five of those occasions.

Meanwhile, they have conceded just one goal at home this Champions League qualifying campaign and have yet to concede more than one in their nine home games in all competitions.

A place in the third qualifying round of the Champions League is close to happening for Mjallby, who scored three goals in the first half in one leg of the game.

The Swedes only need to avoid defeat by three or more goals on Tuesday to progress to the third round of the Champions League qualifiers for the first time.

Karl Marius Aksum are winless in their last five away games but have drawn in three of those times.

Another thing that this team needs to be wary of is that they have conceded three or more goals in two of the last three away games.

Meanwhile, in two of the last three competitions, they scored first but failed to win, losing 5-3 in a friendly against Copenhagen in late June.

Mjallby have scored in eight of their last nine matches, with Hacken the only team to keep a clean sheet at home with a 1-0 win in May.

Lincoln Red Imps Champions League form:

Lincoln Red Imps form (all competitions):

Mjallby AIF Champions League form:

Mjallby AIF form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / NurPhoto

From their second leg meeting with Inter Escaldes to the opening leg of this tie, Pavon made a number of changes to the Red Imps starting 11, bringing in Kike Gomez and Gabri Cardozo among others.

Nano, Facu Alvarez and Manu Toledano all scored in their last home game of the tournament, while goalkeeper Jaylan Hankins allowed three goals in less than 15 minutes against the Swedes.

For Mjallby, Timo Stavitski is a doubt for this match as the Finnish striker has recovered from a back injury, while Max Nielsen could be a match-time decision as he is dealing with his injury.

Aki Samuelsen scored in their opener against Lincoln, another strike coming off an assist from Jacob Bergstrom just before the half-hour mark.

List of possible Lincoln Red Imps:

Hankins; Eersteling, Lopes, Rutjens; Torrilla, Joe, Mandi, Nano; Garcia, Toledano, Gomez

Mjallby AIF is likely to start a program:

Wallinder; Miettinen, Iqbal, Petterson; Jensen, Gustafson, Gustavsson, Samuelsen; Granath, Bergstrom, Stroud

We say: Lincoln Red Imps 1-1 Mjallby AIF (Mjallby lead 4-1 on aggregate)

Lincoln’s home form leads us to believe that they will put together a better performance in the return leg, but Mjallby have more than enough quality to trouble their opponents and come away with a good result.

For data analysis of the most likely results, score lines and more for this game please click here.