Rosenborg (1) v (1) Dundalk, 6.15pm
If you were looking for footballing fairy tales last year, Irish champions Dundalk were the gift that kept on giving thanks to their astounding run in the Europa League.
They make the trip to Trondheim, Norway tonight slightly behind the eight ball after conceding an away goal to a Nicklas Bendtner-led Rosenborg at Oriel Park last week.
The Lillywhites had taken the lead on the night through David McMillan, who is now the League of Ireland’s all-time record scorer in the Champion League thanks to that strike, but were pegged back just before the break by a Tore Reginiussen strike.
However, the task is far from daunting for Stephen Kenny’s men and you only have to ask Lech Poznan, AZ and Zenit St Petersburg how dangerous the Town can be away from home in Europe.
Rosenborg only need a goalless draw to progress though, so don’t assume they’ll to be bombing forward tonight. We’re reckon we’ll see a stalemate at the Lerkendal Stadion later.
Best bet: Rosenborg and Dundalk to draw – 16/5
Celtic (2) v (0) Linfield
It may have been raining coins and bottles of Buckfast at Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths last Friday at Windsor Park, but you can expect it to be pouring goals at the home of the Hoops later this evening.
That’s because, despite all the bluster from the crowd, Celtic pretty much put this tie to bed with two away goals inside the first 22 minutes of the first leg and that was with star Moussa Dembélé left on the bench until the 69th minute.
Throw a Buckie bottle at Leigh Griffiths & he gets booked…. 😕🙈#Celtic #Linfield #ChampionsLeaguehttps://t.co/87zjh6sYAw
— Barry Anderson (@BarryAnderson_) July 15, 2017
Following the incidents in the first encounter, you can expect the crowd at Celtic Park to be about as hospitable as their visitors were to them last week and they’ll demand The Bhoys keep the pedal to the floor tonight. It could get very ugly, but hopefully just on the pitch.
With all due respect to Linfield, you couldn’t give their all-Northern Irish squad a prayer against the side that went unbeaten for the entire Scottish Premiership season and keeping the score down might well be their priority.
We’re actually being as conservative as Brendan Rodgers’ dress sense on this one, let’s just say the scoreboard operator could be busy in Glasgow tonight.
Best bet: Celtic (-2.0) v Linfield – 3/10
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