Days after their controversial defeat against Morocco, Argentina seek a response in their Paris 2024 Olympics Group B match with Iraq at Groupama Stadium on Saturday.

Javier Mascherano described the events against the North Africans as a “circus” but the South Americans must refocus to avoid group-stage elimination against a side that claimed maximum points against Ukraine last time out.

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Match preview

Argentina’s match with Morocco kickstarted the drama at the Olympics with Macherano’s men thinking they had levelled at the death, having their match suspended for over an hour before realising Giuliano Simeone’s seeming equaliser in the 16th minute of second-half stoppage time had been chalked off.

That loss means one of the favourites to clinch the gold medal could now exit the competition if they are beaten by Iraq in Lyon this weekend.

Argentina’s history in men’s football at the Games shows that they claimed gold medals in Athens and Beijing, but they failed to qualify for London 2012 and have suffered consecutive early exits in Brazil and Tokyo.

Mascherano hopes to halt the ongoing pattern of not going past the group stage at the Olympics, even if the former combative midfielder must get his players to regain their focus after what looked to be a well-earned point from 2-0 down ended in a 2-1 loss against Morocco.

Given what is at stake and the group’s quality, Argentina’s supporters should back their players to come up trumps this weekend.

Iraq will hope to compound the South American nation’s misery in the Games by securing a win that all but confirms their exit from the tournament.

While a point for Radhi Shenaishil’s men probably books their place in the last eight, they can be assured of qualification by securing maximum points on Saturday.

That motivation should inspire Iraq to a colossal showing this weekend, knowing they could make it out of the group for the first time since 2004 — when they played in a bronze medal match.

Their next appearance in 2016 saw the Lions of Babylon draw three group-stage games to exit despite going undefeated but goals from Aymen Hussein and Ali Jasim Elaibi turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win over Ukraine last time out, leaving them within another win or a draw from making another last-eight match.

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Team News

Simeone is pushing for a start after his strong showing off the bench in Wednesday’s defeat by Morocco.

Mascherano will hope Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez puts all the noise surrounding his future behind him as the South Americans seek inspiration against Iraq.

Hussein put himself about in the win over Ukraine, and the 28-year-old forward should be a handful for Argentina’s defence on Saturday.

Apart from Hussein, Shenaishil will look to Karrar Mohammed to produce another top midfield showing along with Ibrahim Bayesh.

Argentina possible starting lineup:
Rulli; Garcia, Di Cesare, Otamendi, Soler; Simeone, Medina, Hezze, Almada; Beltran, Alvarez

Iraq possible starting lineup:
Hassan; Saadon, Ojaimi, Tahseen, Reeshawee; Bayesh, K. Ali; H. Ali, Mohammed, Amyn; Hussein

Molde will play host to Silkeborg when they travel to the Molde Stadion on Thursday evening for the first leg of their Europa League second qualifying round matchup.

Both teams are set to make their first appearance on the continent this season after securing their place in the second round with domestic cup triumphs in the last campaign.

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Match preview

After six consecutive seasons of top-two finishes in the Norwegian Eliteserien, including winning the title in 2019 and 2022, Molde had an extremely disappointing 2023 by their standards, falling to fifth place and 19 points behind the champions Bodo/Glimt.

However, Molde salvaged their season by winning the Norwegian Cup for the sixth time in their history, earning them a spot in the second qualifying round for the 2024/25 Europa League.

They have been a regular presence in Europe in recent seasons, competing in the group stage of a European competition in three of the last four years, and they will be aiming to take part in this year’s revamped league phase.

Erling Moe’s side are already midway through their league campaign, currently sitting third in the table after 16 matches and eight points behind league-leading Bodo/Glimt.

The visitors also qualified to the Europa League second qualifying round after coming out on top in last year’s Oddset Pokalen for just the second time in their history, narrowly defeating Aarhus Gymnastikforening 1-0 in the final.

Silkeborg have been far from one of the best sides in Danish football in recent history, only lifting the Danish Superliga on one occasion in 1993-94 and have finished in the bottom half in two of the last five campaigns.

This will be their second appearance in European competition in the last 22 years, having dropped into the Europa Conference League group stage in 2022-23 after losing their Europa League playoff, with their previous appearance coming back in 2001-02.

Unlike their hosts, Kent Nielsen’s side only began their domestic league season last weekend, getting off to the perfect start with a dominant 1-0 win over newly promoted SonderjyskE.

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Team News

The hosts are likely to make several changes following their disappointing 3-2 defeat against a KFUM Oslo side competing in the top division for the first time in their history.

Magnus Wolff Eikrem is expected to start in the forward line once again, having already scored an impressive eight league goals in 15 appearances, while midfielder Kristian Eriksen, who also boasts eight Eliteserien goals, is likely to return to the side after serving a one-match suspension last time out.

As for the visitors, a commanding performance that saw them take 18 shots to their opponents’ eight in their opening Danish Superliga match could mean Nielsen opts to name the same side here.

Last season’s top scorer Alexander Lind is likely to start upfront, supported by Tonni Adamsen and Anders Klynge, who came off the bench in their last game after recovering from a slight knock in preseason.

Molde possible starting lineup:
Posiadala; Amundsen, Oyvann, Hagelskjaer; Linnes, Kaasa, Daehli, Breivik, Lovik; Eriksen, Eikrem

Silkeborg possible starting lineup:
Larsen; Ostrom, Rodin, Ganchas, Poulsen; Mattsson, Brink, Larsen; Adamsen, Klynge; Lind

In the first game of their two-legged showdown in the second Champions League qualifying round, Ludogorets Razgrad will host Dinamo Minsk at the Huvepharma Arena (Razgrad) on Wednesday.

The hosts progressed from the first round with a 3-2 aggregate win over Dinamo Batumi, while the visitors narrowly defeated Pyunik Yerevan 1-0 on aggregate, thanks to a 90th-minute winner in the second leg.

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Match preview

Ludogorets once again find themselves competing for a place in Europe’s most prestigious competition this season after winning their 13th successive Bulgarian First League title in 2023-24.

Ludogorets have reached the group stage of a European competition in each of the last eight seasons, but not since 2016-17 have they successfully qualified for the group stage of the Champions League.

A convincing 3-1 victory in the first leg against Dinamo Batumi put Ludogorets in the driving seat ahead of their trip to Georgia, but a goal just three minutes into the second leg made for a tense finish, ultimately holding on to advance into the second round.

While that second-leg defeat did not deny George Dermendzhiev’s side a place in the second qualifying round, it did extend their unwanted streak of losses to five consecutive away legs in the Champions League.

Ludogorets have, on the other hand, been extremely formidable when playing at home in European competition, winning 12 of their last 17 European matches when playing at their own stadium.

In contrast to their hosts’ immense domestic success, Dinamo Minsk won their first Vysshaya league title since 2004 last year, finishing on 69 points from 28 games and seven points above second place.

That triumph has given Dinamo Minsk the opportunity to compete for a place in the Champions League for the first time since the 2005-06 season, though they have been regulars in the Europa League, participating in every qualifying campaign from 2013 to 2021.

The visitors dominated both legs of their first qualifying round against Pyunik Yerevan but only narrowly progressed with a 1-0 win on aggregate, scoring the decisive goal in the final minutes of the second leg.

Vadim Skripchenko’s team come into this game undefeated in their last 12 matches across all competitions, conceding only one goal in their last eight, and currently lead the Belarusian top tier after 15 unbeaten games.

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Team News

The hosts could revert to the same starting lineup that secured a 3-1 victory in the first leg of their first qualifying round against Dinamo Batumi, with a front three of Rick, Bernard Tekpetey, and Rwan Cruz likely to feature having started each of the last three matches.

Pedro Naressi has also been a regular starter in the middle of the park for Ludogorets in recent matches, and the Brazilian is expected to partner Todor Nedelev and Ivajlo Chochev on Wednesday.

The away side could also name the same 11 that eventually secured their place in the second qualifying round with a 1-0 win in the second leg of their showdown with Pyunik.

Pavel Sedko, who has scored five goals in the league this campaign, returned to the bench for that game after a minor injury, and the midfielder could be used off the bench in this one.

Ludogorets Razgrad possible starting lineup:
Padt; Witry, Verdon, Almeida, Nedyalkov; Naressi, Nedelev, Chochev; Rick, Cruz, Tekpetey

Dinamo Minsk possible starting lineup:
Lapoukhov; Lopes, Gavrilovich, Politevich, Pigas; Demchenko, Selyava, Shkolik; Zherdev, Melnichenko, Podstrelov

Bodo/Glimt begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday, as they kick off a second qualifying round tie against Rigas Futbola Skola at Aspmyra Stadion.

After easing through the first round, RFS now travel north of the Arctic Circle to Bodo, where their hosts have staged several major upsets over the past few years.

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Match preview

Now into his seventh year as Bodo/Glimt boss, Kjetil Knutsen is aiming to reach the Champions League group stage for the very first time, following a near miss two seasons ago and several impressive appearances in other UEFA competitions.

The Norwegian title-holders have been seeded in the ‘Champions Path’ for qualifying, so they enter this year’s edition in the second round – three steps away from reaching the new-look league phase.

Having turned over established sides such as Celtic and Roma in recent years, Bodo pushed Ajax all the way in the knockout stage of last term’s Europa Conference League, before succumbing to a 4-3 aggregate defeat.

They had already captured another Eliteserien title, though, and are now in pursuit of a fourth league crown in just five years.

Bouncing straight back from a shock 2-1 defeat to bottom club Sandefjord earlier this month – only their second league defeat of the season – the Yellow Horde beat Odd 3-1 on Friday night, leaving them with a six-point lead at the summit.

Meanwhile, RFS hold a four-point advantage over second-placed rivals Riga in the Latvian Higher League and will enter Tuesday’s game on a run of seven straight wins across all competitions.

During that success streak, the capital-city club cruised through their opening Champions League qualifier by beating Larne of Northern Ireland 7-0 on aggregate in the first round.

Following a 3-0 victory at home, they ran out 4-0 winners in the second leg, registering seven different goalscorers across the two matches and serving notice of intent to progress further in Europe’s top club competition.

Despite winning the Virsliga title for a second time since being formed in 2016, last season RFS exited at the Conference League’s qualifying stage, failing to build on a first group-phase appearance one year earlier, during which they memorably held Fiorentina to a 1-1 draw in Florence.

Head coach Viktors Morozs will now take a team on a six-match unbeaten away streak – albeit against more modest opposition – to northern Norway, seeking a positive result to take home for next week’s return.

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Team News

Due to suffering a second head injury in as many weeks, Bodo/Glimt’s Jostein Gundersen may miss Tuesday’s first leg: after he was controversially allowed to continue against Sandefjord despite the club doctor’s advice, the centre-back sustained a gash on his forehead against Odd last time out.

The hosts are again without Kasper Hogh, Sondre Sorli and Runar Espejord, but Brede Moe has returned to the squad and is set to feature in a four-man defence.

August Mikkelsen has struggled to perform since switching from Hammarby, but the 23-year-old scored Bodo’s opener on Friday and should start in a front three led by either Hakon Evjen or the more imposing Oscar Kapskarmo.

RFS, meanwhile, will turn to Ismael Diomande to pose their main goal threat in Norway – the Ivorian winger has scored seven goals in his last eight matches, including one against Larne last week.

Latvia international Janis Ikaunieks is another important figure in the visitors’ attack, while ex-Barcelona goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa – capped 51 times by Cameroon – starts between the posts.

Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:
Haikin; Wembangomo, Bjortuft, Moe, Bjorkan; Saltnes, Berg, Gronbaek; Sjovold, Evjen, Mikkelsen

Rigas Futbola Skola possible starting lineup:
Ondoa; Balodis, Prenga, Lipuscek; Ikaunieks, Markhiev, Panic, Mares; Diomande, Deocleciano, Lemajic

Two closely-matched sides will face off when GAIS welcome AIK Fotboll to Gamla Ullevi for Monday’s Allsvenskan contest.

Having collected 22 points from 14 matches, the hosts are sitting in seventh position and two points ahead of their eighth-placed opponents.

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Match preview

After winning back-to-back promotions, GAIS will be pleased with the fact that they occupy a top-half position in their first top-flight campaign since 2011-12.

However, GAIS boss Fredrik Holmberg will be slightly concerned by his team’s recent dip in form, having seen his side take just one point from their last three league games.

They lost 4-0 to Halmstad and played out a goalless draw with Hammarby, before they fell to a 3-1 defeat in their most recent outing against Sirius.

After falling to a fourth consecutive away defeat, GAIS will be looking forward to returning to Gamla Ullevi, where they have won five and drawn one of their previous six matches.

Monday’s hosts will be targeting another strong defensive display after recording three clean sheets in their last four home league games.

AIK, meanwhile, began the 2024 Allsvenkan campaign in a rich vein of form, with their first five matches producing three wins and two draws.

However, they have struggled for consistency in the last three months, having won three and lost six of their previous nine league games.

They did at least bounce back from consecutive defeats to claim a narrow 2-1 away win over Halmstad last weekend.

Rui Modesto and Ioannis Pittas both grabbed a goal apiece to guide AIK to their first away win in the Allsvenskan since July 23.

That proved to be Henok Goitom’s final game in interim charge as AIK confirmed the appointment of Mikkjal Thomassen, who left his position as Fredrikstad boss to take up the post.

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Team News

The hosts are expected to be without the services of Egzon Binaku, Jonas Lindberg and Richard Friday, while Anes Cardaklija is a doubt after being forced off against Sirius.

Amin Boudri and Henriksson are both suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

However, William Milovanovic and Joackim Aberg are available for selection following their respective one-match bans.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon the injured trio of Abdihakin Ali, Alexander Fesshaie and Martin Ellingsen.

While Thomassen will want to stamp his mark on the team, he could keep faith with the same XI that started the recent win over Halmstad.

Pittas will be looking to continue his fine run of form after finding the net in each of his last four Allsvenskan appearances.

GAIS possible starting lineup:
Krasniqi; Wangberg, Noren, Beckman, Frej; Aberg, Ibrahim, Milovanovic; Lundgren, Celik, Holmstrom

AIK Fotboll possible starting lineup:
Nordfelt; Thychosen, Milosevic, Tiedemann, Edh; Modesto, Saletros, Dabo, Celina; Faraj, Pittas

Round 15 of the 2024 Swedish Allsvenskan season commences with a meeting between Sirius and Malmo at the Studenternas IP on Friday.

The hosts head into this one off the back of a routine triumph last time out, while the visitors saw their eight-game unbeaten streak come to an end.

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Match preview

Malmo were beaten for the first time since early May in a 2-1 defeat against Mjallby at the Strandvallen on Saturday afternoon.

Goals either side of half time from Elliot Stroud and Jacob Bergstrom left Henrik Rydstrom’s men on the back foot before Tom Pettersson inadvertently put the ball past his own keeper to set up a frenetic finale.

With 35 points picked up from 15 matches so far, Di Himmelsblatt currently lead the way in the standings with a four-point advantage over Djurgardens IF, albeit having played one game more.

Fresh from a first away defeat in five outings, Friday’s visitors will be looking to avoid consecutive losses on enemy territory for the first time in over a year.

Sirius picked up a first victory in three matches as they ran out emphatic 3-1 winners against GAIS in Saturday’s meeting between the sides.

Christer Mattiasson’s men got their noses in front just before the break thanks to Henrik Castegren but were pegged back five minutes into the second period by Axel Henriksson, after which Melker Heier and Yousef Salech decided the contest.

As a result, Di Blasvart have moved up to ninth place in the Swedish Allsvenskan table and are just two points shy of the top half.

On the menu next is the challenge of an opposing outfit who have lost just one of the previous 16 editions of this fixture, winning 13 of the other 15 clashes.

However, Friday’s hosts will be confident of securing a positive result nonetheless having gone unbeaten in each of their last five matches on home turf.

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Team News

Sirius’ Tobias Carlsson has not featured for the last three-and-a-half months due to a knee injury, which will keep him out of Friday’s clash as well.

Henrik Castegren made an instant impact on his return from suspension with a goal last time out and is expected to retain his place in the lineup.

Stefano Vecchia remains sidelined for Malmo through a long-term muscle problem, while Sergio Pena prepares to sit out a third straight game with a damaged ankle.

The away side will also be without the services of Oscar Lewicki and Anton Tinnerholm, although the latter is closing in on making his comeback.

Sirius possible starting lineup:
Tannander; Castegren, Nwadike, Jeng, Widgren; Stensson, Walta; Milleskog, Lindberg, Heier; Salech

Malmo possible starting lineup:
Dahlin; Busanello, Moisander, Jansson, Larsen; Nanasi, Johnsen, Christiansen, Berg; Thelin, Botheim

With a mountain to climb following a disastrous first leg, Pafos FC will welcome Elfsborg to Alphamega Stadium for the second leg of their Europa League first-round qualifier on Thursday night.

The Cypriots are looking to overturn a three-goal deficit created last week, meaning that the Yellow Ones are overwhelming favourites to advance into the next round.

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Match preview

Playing their first competitive fixture of the 2024-25 campaign, Pafos looked well off the pace at Boras Arena last Thursday night, when hosts Elfsborg recorded a comfortable three-goal victory to put one foot in the second round of qualifying for the Europa League league phase.

The visitors found themselves a goal down inside the opening 10 minutes due to a strike from Besfort Zeneli, before efforts after the half-time whistle by Niklas Hult and Per Frick sentenced the Cypriots to a heavy defeat that puts their progression in serious doubt.

Last week’s clash in Boras was Pafos’s first-ever fixture on the continental stage, with Juan Carlos Carcedo’s troops requiring a three-goal victory at Alphamega Stadium in the second leg to just take the contest to extra time and potentially penalty kicks this time around.

The Cypriots were not shy in front of goal at the conclusion of the 2023-24 term, with Pafos beating Omonia Nicosia 3-0 in the Cypriot Cup final to earn a coveted spot in the qualifying stages of the Europa League.

Although Elfsborg will be mightily pleased with their first-leg showing at home last week, the Swedish outfit could have been even further out of the sight in the two-legged affair, but Arber Zeneli’s missed penalty means that Pafos still have a glimmer of hope heading into Thursday’s deciding clash.

The Yellow Ones returned to Allsvenskan action on Sunday afternoon and produced an exceptional display on the road, putting five goals past fourth-placed Hacken, with centre-back Terry Yegbe netting an unlikely brace for the visitors in Goteborg.

Winning three straight matches since returning from the month-long summer break, Elfsborg are in great shape to advance into the second round of qualifying on Thursday night, when the Swedish powerhouses will be striving for back-to-back victories on the continental stage.

Despite the Yellow Ones still being well in the hunt for a top-three spot in the Allsvenskan this season, their stuttering away form has been a cause for considerable concern, with Thursday’s visitors to Cyprus collecting just two points from eight away league matches, losing on six occasions.

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Team News

After receiving his marching orders for two yellow cards during the first leg, Matias Melluso will be suspended for Pafos as they aim to stage a remarkable comeback.

As a result, the hosts will require a new face at right-back, with the versatile Onni Valakari potentially set to operate in the backline.

There could be some attacking changes for Pafos after they fired a blank in Sweden, but talismanic figures Jairo and Muamer Tankovic should retain their spots.

Following their substitutions prior to the 60-minute mark on Sunday, the likes of Camil Jebara and Michael Baidoo should keep their places in the forward line for Elfsborg.

Arber Zeneli bagged a brace off the bench and could be rewarded with a start, whilst youngsters such as Jalal Abdulai could be given some game time with the Swedes possessing a handsome lead in the tie.

Pafos FC possible starting lineup:
Ivusic; Valakari, Kvida, Goldar, Correia; Pelagio, Name; Felipe, Dragomir, Tankovic; Jairo

Elfsborg possible starting lineup:
Pettersson; Holmen, Henriksson, Yegbe; Kaib, B Zeneli, Ouma, Hult; A Zeneli, Jebara, Baidoo

Atlanta United can end a lengthy losing run on Wednesday when they host New York City FC in MLS action at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

On Saturday, the Five Stripes suffered their fourth successive defeat across all competitions, 1-0 to CF Montreal, while the Boys in Blue played to a 0-0 draw with the Chicago Fire.

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Match preview

Another match that was there for the taking did not go the way of Atlanta United last weekend, a recurring theme for them throughout the 2024 domestic campaign.

Nine of their 11 MLS defeats this season have been by a single goal, putting them in 11th place in the Eastern Conference table, two points below the playoff line.

Coming off a regular season in which they were the second-highest scoring side in the Eastern Conference (66 goals) in 2023, they have not been nearly as potent this year, ranking in the bottom five for goals scored in the East (33).

Home field has not been as much of an advantage for them in 2024 when compared to the previous campaign, with the Five Stripes winning just four times domestically at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this year, six fewer than a season ago.

There are only six more fixtures for them at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the regular season, where Rob Valentino’s men are on a two-match unbeaten run, winning their previous domestic home contest against Toronto (2-1).

They have not won a regular-season encounter against New York City since 2019, when a pair of goals from former striker Josef Martinez gave them a narrow 2-1 triumph.

For a side loaded with pace and clever playmakers, few chances were created for the Pigeons over the weekend in the Windy City.

Nick Cushing’s men only registered one effort on target against the Fire and are now winless in four consecutive MLS affairs away from home.

Over that stretch, the Pigeons have failed to find the back of the net on three occasions, while they have been held off the scoresheet seven times in 2024, six of which were away from home.

All of their away victories in MLS this year have occurred when they have drawn first blood, while they have just a single point as the visitors this year when conceding the opening goal.

While they failed to gain any ground in the race for home-field advantage in the opening round of the playoffs last weekend, they remain just a point behind the New York Red Bulls for fourth in the East after their rivals from New Jersey played to a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids.

NYCFC are unbeaten in their previous nine meetings against the Five Stripes across all competitions, playing to a 2-2 draw in this exact fixture last year.

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Team News

Edwin Mosquera sat out for Atlanta last weekend because of a sore shoulder, while Jamal Thiare was back on the field despite previously injuring his knee, coming on for Daniel Rios in the second half.

Stian Gregersen will be back on the sidelines through suspension for this match after receiving a pair of cautions in the defeat to Montreal.

Caleb Wiley, who will join Chelsea soon, is currently away on international duty after being selected for the United States Olympic squad.

The Pigeons were without Kevin O’Toole and Tayvon Gray last weekend because of knocks, Maxi Moralez was sidelined with a leg injury, Andres Perea is dealing with a groin issue and Malachi Jones missed that match due to a broken tibia.

New York will be without holding midfielder James Sands for this fixture after the American received another caution on Saturday, while Birk Risa came on as a substitute in that game after previously missing time with an injury.

Matt Freese only had to make one stop against the Fire to collect his second clean sheet in his last three matches between the sticks.

Atlanta United possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Abram, Williams, Cobb; Lennon, Slisz, McCarty, Hernandez; Lobzhanidze, Rios, Silva

New York City FC possible starting lineup:
Freese; Ilenic, Martins, Risa, McFarlane; Parks, Haak; Wolf, Rodriguez, Ojeda; Martinez

FC Pyunik and Dinamo Minsk will resume their battle in the first qualifying round of the 2024-25 Champions League when they meet for the second leg at Republican Stadium on Tuesday.

The tie still hangs in the balance after these sides played out a goalless first leg and the winner of this match will move on to face either Ludogorets or Dinamo Batumi in the next round.

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Match preview

With a capacity of around 15,000 seats, the Republican Stadium is expected to see a full house in midweek after Pyunik announced that it would be providing fans with free entry for this match.

However, most of those who are going to attend this match, and watched the first leg, will be hoping that this week’s encounter will provide a little more action than they saw last week.

In neutral Hungary, Pyunik recorded just six shots at goal and were starved of possession for large spells. They were forced to play much of the game on the counterattack and managed to win only a single corner, while they were not caught offside a single time across the 90, illustrating their lack of attacking threat.

Nevertheless, the result extended the Armenian champions’ unbeaten record in all competitions to 10 matches and was the first time the side failed to find the back of the net since a 1-0 domestic cup defeat to Ararat-Armenia at the start of April.

That defeat also happened to be the only one that Eghishe Melikyan’s side have conceded on home soil in their last 15 games, while the remaining 14 saw the side claim 10 victories and four draws.

Meanwhile, last week’s stalemate means that Dinamo Minsk have it all to do on Tuesday evening, and will have the task of breaking down the hosts’ defence, which has not conceded a goal in over 400 minutes of football.

The Bisons, despite firing a total of 15 shots at goal in the first leg, only managed five on target, none of which looked likely to get past Henri Avagyan in the opposition goal.

That result brought an end to Vadim Skripchenko’s side’s seven-match winning streak across all competitions, though they are still unbeaten in 11 and have not lost an away game since early May.

Regardless of the outcome here, it has been an incredible last 18 months for Minsk, who won the Belarusian Premier League for the first time since 2004-05 last season. If they do manage to win this match, it will give them a huge boost to take back to the domestic league competition which recommences at the start of August.

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Team News

New signing Agdon started in attack in the first leg but was taken off in the second half for another new arrival in Joao Paredes, and we could see the latter given the start this week.

Centre-forward Luka Juricic is still the only known injury absentee for the hosts and he is expected to remain sidelined for a while longer as continues his recovery from knee surgery.

Trofim Melnichenko was deployed in attack in place of the injured Pavel Sedko last week, but he had a fairly quiet evening and was eventually substituted in the second half.

Steven Alfred came off the bench to make his debut for the club after his arrival from Maccabi Herzliya last week and could receive the nod to lead the line from the start in this one.

FC Pyunik possible starting lineup:
Avagyan; De Souza, Vakulenko, Bratkov, Juninho; Cociuc, Otubanjo, Udo; Davidyan, Paredes, Carabello

Dinamo Minsk possible starting lineup:
Lapoukhov; Pigas, Palitsevich, Hawrylovich, Oliveira; Shkolik, Selyava, Demchenko; Podstrelov, Melnichenko, Zherdev

Aiming to move closer to the European places in the Swedish Allsvenskan table, fifth-placed Hammarby host relegation-battling IFK Goteborg at the Tele2 Arena on Monday.

The hosts are six points adrift of third-placed Djurgardens IF, while the visitors will be looking to increase their current one-point lead over the drop zone.

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Match preview

An inconsistent start to the campaign from Hammarby saw them win four of their opening nine league matches and lose the remaining five, but three successive victories before the five-week break saw them climb from ninth on matchday nine to fourth on matchday 12.

Kim Hellberg’s men were unable to come out victorious in either of their friendly matches during the break, losing 3-1 to IF Brommapojkarna and drawing 2-2 with IFK Varnamo, and they carried that form into their return to the Allsvenskan as they drew 0-0 with GAIS.

Hammarby now sit fifth in the league heading into this one and trailing Djurgarden, who sit in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualification spot in third, by six points.

The hosts have played just 13 fixtures in the Allsvenskan and could move into fourth with a victory here, while also being able to move within one point of second place if they win both games in hand over Mjallby AIF.

Hellberg’s team have been at their best when playing at the Tele2 Arena this campaign, amassing 15 of their 22 total points when playing at home thanks to five wins in six games.

Their opponents Goteborg, look destined for yet another season of fighting to extend their stay in the top flight after they narrowly avoided the bottom three by a point last year.

Stefan Billborn’s men are 13th in the league coming into this game and again find themselves just a point above 14th-placed Kalmar FF after managing only 14 points from the opening 13 games.

A 2-0 loss to Varnamo in the last outing has extended their winless run away from home to five matches across all competitions, including a 2-0 loss to Lillestrom in a friendly.

Not since a 1-0 win in 2015 have Gorteborg won at the Tele2 Arena in 90 minutes in a competitive match, with the only victory in that time coming in a 3-1 win in extra-time of the Svenska Cupen.

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Team News

The hosts are set to remain without the services of both Frederik Winther, who is out for the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in April, and Mads Fenger, who is expected to return in the coming weeks.

Nahir Besara has been in fine form for his club this campaign, providing five assists and scoring five goals in his 13 league games, and is likely to start once again here.

As for the visitors, they are currently going through a slight injury crisis with up to five players set to be unavailable for this one.

Abundance Salaou, Hussein Carneil, Mattias Johansson, Pontus Dahlberg and Suleiman Abdullahi are all out with various injuries.

Hammarby possible starting lineup:
Dovin; Skoglund, Eriksson, Vagic, Pinas; Hammar, Tekie; Schellhas, Besara, Toure; Gul

IFK Goteborg possible starting lineup:
Bishesari; Santos, Svensson, Hausner, Wendt; Ohlsson, Thordarson; Mucolli, Pettersson, Abraham; Norlin