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Omonia will look to turn their impressive home form into another European scalp when they welcome Benfica to Nicosia on Thursday for round three of the Europa League league phase.
With both clubs sitting on six points after two rounds of the Europa League league phase, the encounter offers the Shamrock a chance to make further ground against stronger opposition.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Omonia vs. Benfica key stats
- Nine of Benfica’s last 11 matches produced more than three goals.
- Alexander Bah has scored in two of his last three games while also being directly involved in three of his five Europa League appearances this term.
- Benfica have won 10 of their last 11 matches across all competitions.
- There have been more goals in the second half in six of Omonia’s last eight matches.
Omonia vs. Benfica preview: Can the hosts’ home resilience withstand visitors’ attacking quality?
Omonia vs Benfica — Tale of the Tape
| Omonia | vs | Benfica |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd (Cyprus League) | Position | 2nd (Primeira Liga) |
| 12 | Points | 19 |
| 13 | Goals For | 24 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 7 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 4 |
| 4th (H) | Home / Away Rank | 3rd (A) |
Omonia have enjoyed a productive start to their European campaign, taking a narrow victory over Celta Vigo before travelling to Slovenia and returning with a convincing 3-0 victory against Celje.
Henning Berg’s side also showed character at the weekend when they recovered from two goals behind to draw with Olympiacos Nicosia, a response that should help them approach this demanding fixture with confidence.
The Cypriot champions have developed a formidable record at GSP Stadium, where they have gone 15 matches without defeat across all competitions, and that familiarity with their surroundings could prove valuable against higher-profile opposition.
Their European home record offers further encouragement, as Omonia have won 15 of their last 20 continental fixtures on their own ground, drawing once and losing four times during that sequence.
Benfica, meanwhile, have made a strong start to their attempt to make an impact in the Europa League after missing out on the Champions League following their disappointing finish to the previous Primeira Liga campaign.
Marco Silva’s side began their league-phase schedule with a valuable away victory over AC Milan before returning to Lisbon and putting Celtic to the sword in a 4-1 triumph, giving them an opportunity to build further momentum in Cyprus.
Their European campaign has also included a successful route through the qualifying rounds, where victories over St. Gallen, Hearts and Aarhus helped secure their place in the main competition.
Benfica head into Thursday’s contest in second place in Portugal’s top flight, and the absence of domestic football over the weekend has given them additional time to prepare for the trip to Nicosia
Omonia vs. Benfica form guide & betting tips
| Omonia | vs | Benfica |
|---|---|---|
WWDLW |
Form | WWLWW |
| 13 | Goals For | 12 |
| 3 | Goals Against | 5 |
WW |
Europa League | WW |
Whispers predicts: Omonia 1-3 Benfica
Omonia have enough quality to threaten a goal of their own, and their ability to recover from a two-goal deficit at the weekend suggests that they should not be written off if they fall behind.
Nevertheless, Benfica look better equipped to punish defensive lapses, making an away victory at 1.38 (19/50) worth backing, despite Omonia’s encouraging home performances.
Over 2.5 goals is also a good option at 1.57 (4/7), as the visitors have regularly been involved in open contests and Omonia should have opportunities to contribute to the overall tally.
Bah to score or assist is available at 3.40 (12/5), while a 3-1 Benfica victory at 11.00 (10/1) is therefore a plausible scoreline.
> Over 2.5 goals at 1.57 (4/7) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result – Benfica win at 1.38 (19/50) | Likelihood: Probable
> Alexander Bah to score or assist at 3.40 (12/5) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct score – Omonia 1-3 Benfica at 11.00 (10/1) | Likelihood: Outsider