Astana vs. Dinamo Zagreb (Wednesday, 3.00pm)
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Astana have a mountain to climb in the second round of Champions League qualifying when they host Dinamo Zagreb at the Astana Arena on Wednesday.
The home side were crushed 4-0 last week and require a faultless showing to turn the tie around.
We say: Astana 1-2 Dinamo Zagreb (Dinamo Zagreb advance 6-1 on aggregate)
Unlikely to be undeterred by their trip to Kazakhstan, Dinamo should claim a 2-1 triumph at Astana that seals comfortable progress to the third qualifying round.
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Qarabag vs. Rakow (Wednesday, 5.00pm)
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Another thrilling game could materialise when Qarabag host Rakow Czestochowa in the second qualifying round of the Champions League at the Azersun Arena on Wednesday.
The home side trail after losing the reverse fixture 3-1 in Poland, but the deficit is not insurmountable.
We say: Qarabag FK 1-1 Rakow Czestochowa (Rakow Czestochowa advance 4-3 on aggregate)
Qarabag have lost one competitive home game since Olympique Marseille's 3-0 win in February 2022 — a 2-1 loss against Sumqayit two months ago — underscoring their menace in front of their fans.
While they are unlikely to lose on Wednesday, Rakow Czestochowa could escape with a draw, which is the result they need to advance to the third qualifying round.
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Genk vs. Servette (Wednesday, 6.00pm)
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Genk will be hoping to make the most of their home-field advantage when they take on Servette in the second round second leg of the Champions League qualifiers on Wednesday evening.
The initial encounter between these sides took place at Stade de Geneve last week, resulting in a 1-1 draw, and they will clash again in this one for an opportunity to take on Rangers in the next round of qualifiers.
We say: Genk 2-1 Servette
While Servette did put on an excellent showing on their home patch last week, they will likely find it much more difficult on the road this time around. Genk have a very good home record over the last year, and we expect them to get through to the next round, albeit by a slender margin.
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Molde vs. HJK Helsinki (Wednesday, 6.00pm)
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Molde welcome HJK Helsinki to the Aker Stadion for the second leg of their Champions League Second Round tie on Wednesday night.
HJK stunned their Norwegian opponents by taking a 1-0 lead in the first leg in the Finnish capital last week.
We say: Molde 2-0 HJK Helsinki
Despite a fantastic win on home soil last week, HJK may find it tough to hold on to their lead in Norway.
Molde enter the fixture still the favourites to progress despite the one-goal deficit, and a substantial improvement on last week's performance should see them qualify.
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Maccabi Haifa vs. Sheriff Tiraspol (Wednesday, 6.00pm)
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Sheriff Tiraspol will be looking to hold on to their lead in the second round when they head to Sammy Ofer Stadium to take on Maccabi Haifa in the second leg of their Champions League qualification campaign.
The visitors currently have a one-goal advantage after last week's first-leg encounter and will now have one eye on progressing to the third qualifying round between either HSK Zrinjski or SSK Slovan Bratislava.
We say: Maccabi Haifa 2-1 Sheriff Tiraspol
Despite the eventual scoreline, Maccabi Haifa were arguably the better side last week and are heavily fancied to put in another big performance on home soil. We feel that this tie will go beyond regulation time, with the hosts winning the match by a one-goal margin.
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Copenhagen vs. Breidablik (Wednesday, 7.00pm)
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With a two-goal lead in hand from last week's first leg, Copenhagen will aim to seal their place in the third round of Champions League qualifying on Wednesday, when they host Breidablik at Parken Stadium.
The Danish champions reached the group stage of Europe's top club competition last year, and finishing off the job against their Nordic neighbours would take them one step closer to a return.
We say: Copenhagen 1-0 Breidablik (Copenhagen win 3-0 on aggregate)
Having one foot in the third round, Copenhagen can afford to play within themselves on Wednesday and still see off their second-round opponents with something to spare. The Danish club are always well backed at Parken, and with more attacking options than Breidablik, they should send their supporters home happy once again.
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Galatasaray vs. Zalgiris (Wednesday, 7.30pm)
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After a thrilling conclusion to the first leg in Lithuania, Turkish giants Galatasaray host FK Zalgiris at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium on Wednesday, with a place in the Champions League's third qualifying round at stake.
Three goals in the final 15 minutes - plus a stoppage-time sending-off - made for an incredible climax last week, and the teams now reconvene in Istanbul.
We say: Galatasaray 2-1 FK Zalgiris (Galatasaray win 4-3 on aggregate)
How the first leg unfolded demonstrates that Galatasaray cannot expect to cruise through to the third round, with Zalgiris still very much alive in this qualifying contest. After shaking off the rust in their first competitive outing, though, Gala should improve back on home soil and do just enough to edge through.
