Qarabag vs FC Twente – News and Probable Lineups

Following a narrow victory in Enschede, Qarabag FK is set to host FC Twente in Baku on Thursday, seeking to progress past the second leg of the Conference League playoff round.

A goal from Kady just after halftime ensured a slim margin of victory for Qurban Qurbanov’s squad, who are confident in their ability to advance thanks to formidable defensive displays in European competitions.

Match overview

Twente made a strong impression in terms of scoring before last week’s matchup with Atlilar, but Qurbanov’s side successfully thwarted their efforts at De Grolsch Veste, earning a noteworthy 1-0 victory.

Despite allowing 21 shots from their opponents, an analysis of the situation reveals that nine of Twente’s efforts came from outside the penalty area, indicating many speculative attempts.

While Martin Zlomislic indeed had to pull off several impressive saves, the overall structure of the team provided a strong base that helped them secure the well-deserved victory.

Remarkably, Qarabag managed their sixth clean sheet in seven matches across Europa League and Conference League preliminary rounds, a stat that boosts the optimism of their fans ahead of Thursday’s clash at Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.

Atlilar have conceded only one goal on home soil in four competitive games this season, further enhancing their confidence as Twente travels to Baku.

Clearly, John van den Brom must have felt frustrated after witnessing his team unable to dismantle a resolute Qarabag defense.

Even though they managed to score in that match, last week’s loss echoed Twente’s previous setback against Ferencvaros in the Europa League second qualifying round first leg, where they recorded 18 shots but half of those were considered speculative.

Following emphatic 6-0 and 3-0 victories over DAC 1904 and PEC Zwolle in their subsequent two home games, the mood around Enschede lifted; however, the recent defeat brought them back to reality.

They are now eager to rebound from this disappointment on their home ground against an opponent whose stern defense presents a significant challenge to their aspirations in Europe.

Having missed out on the Europa League, failing to replicate last week’s result or to overturn the deficit would eliminate them from continental competition for the entire season, adding intrigue to Thursday’s encounter.

Team News

Qarabag appears to have no injury concerns, giving Qurbanov a full squad for their crucial match against Twente in Baku.

Kady’s goal last week marked his first in three Conference League qualifying fixtures, and he is looking to score in consecutive games for the first time this term.

The away side will need to draw on the abilities of Wout Weghorst, Sondre Orjasaeter, Marko Pjaca, and Daan Rots; however, none made a significant impact in the reverse fixture played at home, with Weghorst failing to take a single shot before being substituted in the 60th minute.

The visitors will be without the injured and unavailable Stav Lemkin, while Issam El Maach, Mees Hilgers, and Gijs Besselink are excluded from the Reds’ squad for their trip to Baku.

Qarabag FK probable starting XI:

Zlomyslic; Silva, Huseynov, Varkonyi, Langa; Lobato, Jankovic; Kashchuk, Kady, Mouaddib; Qurbani

FC Twente probable starting XI:

Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Propper, Nijstad, Adelgaard; Rock, Zerrouki, Weidmann; Pjaca, Weghorst, Orjasaeter

Although Twente will surely push forward in a desperate attempt to overcome the first-leg deficit, breaking through Qarabag’s notoriously tight defense in Baku is expected to be a formidable task.

With the Horsemen achieving six clean sheets in seven European games this season, Qurbanov’s well-prepared squad should weather the onslaught and catch the Dutch side on the counterattack to secure their progression to the league phase.