Preview: FC Noah vs Lincoln Red Imps - prediction, team news, lineups

After sharing the spoils in a closely-contested first-leg battle in Gibraltar last week, FC Noah and Lincoln Red Imps lock horns at Abovyan City Stadium in Armenia for the second leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie on Thursday.

While the winners of this tie will secure their spot in the Europa League playoff round, the losers must drop down to the Conference League.

Match preview

Armenian side FC Noah were only founded seven years ago and in that time have won four domestic honours, including their first-ever top-flight title - finishing nine points clear at the summit - and the Armenian Cup last season.

FCN also made their European debut in last season’s Conference League, although they suffered a heavy 8-0 defeat to eventual winners Chelsea on matchday one before exiting the League Phase with only four points from six games.

This term, Noah began in the Champions League qualifiers and beat Buducnost Podgorica 3-2 on aggregate in the first round, before losing 6-4 over two legs against Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros at the end of July.

Noah are now hoping to qualify for the Europa League for the first time and their hopes of reaching UEFA’s second-tier competition are still alive after they played out a 1-1 draw with Lincoln Red Imps in last week’s first-leg, four days after kick-starting their Armenian Premier League campaign with a comfortable 4-0 home win over Shirak FC.

New head coach Sandro Perkovic felt that his players lost control of the contest against Lindon Red Imps after taking an early lead, but with everything still to play for, the Croatian has called on his team’s supporters to act as the 12th man on Thursday in what already represents an important fixture for the club at this early stage in their season.

Lincoln Red Imps have unquestionably been the dominant side in Gibraltar in recent years, winning a record-extending 29th National League title, and fifth in a row, last season after finishing above St Joseph on goal difference.

However, they have struggled to convert their domestic prowess onto the European stage, with their group-stage appearance in the 2021-22 Conference League representing their only proper outing in a UEFA competition.

Like FC Noah, the Red Imps began in the Champions League qualifiers last month and beat Vikingur 4-2 on aggregate in the first round before suffering a heavy 6-1 defeat over two legs to Red Star Belgrade.

Nine days after losing the second leg 5-1 in Serbia, head coach Juan Jose Bezares will have taken some positives from his side rescuing a first-leg draw with Noah in the Europa League qualifiers, with Tjay De Barr equalising from the penalty spot deep into first-half stoppage time.

The Red Imps have failed to qualify for the Europa League in six previous attempts, but victory over Noah would move them one step closer to reaching their first-ever League Phase, which would represent a major milestone for the Gibraltarian side.

FC Noah Europa League form:

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Lincoln Red Imps Europa League form:

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Team News

FC Noah are set to be without forward Goncalo Gregorio - last season’s top scorer with 27 goals - who sustained a long-term knee injury at the end of last month.

Matheus Aias is expected to continue to lead the line in Gregorio's absence and he could be supported in the final third by wingers Gor Manvelyan and Alen Grgic, while the rest of the team is likely to remain intact.

As for Lincoln Red Imps, Young-Woo Soel is available to return after serving a European suspension in the first leg, and he could be recalled to start at right-back at the expense of Ibrahim Ayew.

Tjay De Barr already has four goals in five competitive games this term and is expected to start again up front, while 36-year-old summer signing Mandi could continue in midfield alongside Graeme Torilla and Toni Garcia.

FC Noah possible starting lineup:

Cancarevic; Boakye, Silva, Muradyan, Thorarinsson; Eteki, Sangare, Helder; Manvelyan, Aias, Grgic

Lincoln Red Imps possible starting lineup:

Santana; Seol, Rutjens, Lopes, Nano; Garcia, Torilla, Mandi; Villacanas, De Barr, Britto

We say: FC Noah 2-1 Lincoln Red Imps (FC Noah to win 3-2 on aggregate)

There is little to separate these two teams and another tight contest could be on the cards, but we are backing FC Noah to prevail on home soil by a slender margin.