Malmo FF vs Zalgiris Predictions

• Malmö FF have led at both half-time and full-time in six of their last eight home games in all competitions.
• Zalgiris have lost six of their last nine Champions League away games.
• Malmö FF reportedly have a budget 15 times greater than Zalgiris and reached the group stages last season.

Zeidan can seal Zalgiris’ fate

Zalgiris gave a superb account of themselves in Lithuania last week, but Malmo’s excellent home record and a striker in form should be enough to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit on Wednesday. Make no mistake, Zalgiris were well worth their 1-0 victory last week, tallying twice as many shots on goal as Malmo did.

The Swedish champions were far too passive in the first half and, when they tried to react to going behind, found that Zalgiris’ forwards had too much speed for their one-paced backline. Milos Milojevic dropped a clanger in his selection too when he named new signing Moustafa Zeidan on the bench.

The former Aston Villa youth player has scored and assisted in his last two Allsvenskan appearances and will surely get the nod to start at Eleda Stadion. MFF lost the services of another new recruit – midfielder Mahame Siby – at the weekend when he was stretchered off and could be a little thin on resources in the middle of the park.

HT and FT could be a route to profit

Renan Oliviera, who has scored eight league goals in 13 matches since joining Zalgiris on loan in March, left the field on a stretcher last week too, but it was probably a timewasting exercise and he hasn’t been ruled out for the return.

Malmo will need to be much better on Wednesday, but they usually are good for a win at home and their much bigger budget, reputation and experience should carry them through. Backing the hosts to lead at half-time and full-time seems a good way of boosting their short odds to around 4/6. The Blue Ones have managed to do just that in six of their last eight home contests in all competitions while Zalgiris have lost six of their last nine away Champions League games.

A 2-0 home success appeals in correct score betting as Malmo have kept four clean sheets in their last seven at Eleda Stadion.