Preview:Qarabag FK vs Shelbourne - prediction, team news, lineups

With one leg in the third round of Champions League qualifying, Qarabag FK will welcome Shelbourne to the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium this Wednesday for the return leg.

The Azerbaijan giants take a three-goal advantage into this encounter after securing an emphatic 3-0 victory in Drumcondra last week.

Match preview

Qarabag may not have played a competitive game since their domestic cup final loss in May, but their sharpness in Dublin painted a different picture and served as a timely reminder of why they are seasoned campaigners at this level.

In what marked the beginning of their 11th campaign in the Champions League qualifiers, the Azerbaijan giants put on a commanding display against the Irish outfit, capitalising on a perfect start before managing the game with real maturity.

Leandro Andrade handed the Horsemen an early lead in the 13th minute before substitute Oleksiy Kashchuk struck in the 81st, and Nariman Akhundzade sealed the win just four minutes later to leave the tie firmly under their control.

With progression to the next phase now all but wrapped up, Gurban Gurbanov’s side return to familiar territory where they have won eight of their last nine competitive matches (D1), suggesting another dominant showing in the second leg could well be on the cards.

It is worth noting that the Horsemen are attempting to emulate their 2017-18 run to the group stage, and as things stand, they have already taken a significant step in that direction, barring an extraordinary twist in Baku.

As for Shelbourne, their long-awaited return to European football has not been short of spirit, having edged past Linfield in an all-Ireland qualifier, but Wednesday’s fixture presents a steep mountain to climb.

The Reds looked out of their depth in the early exchanges at Tolka Park, though they will be determined not to go down without a fight, and manager Joey O’Brien has urged his players to show belief and pride in Azerbaijan despite seeing his unbeaten start as manager come to an end after seven matches in charge.

The 39-year-old stepped in following Damien Duff’s resignation in late June, and he did steady the ship with three wins and three draws before last week's loss, but while there has been some resilience at home, their away record tells a different story.

Shelbourne have picked up just two wins from their last 11 games on the road in all competitions — drawing seven and losing two — while their continental record has also been patchy, with no victories from their last four European away matches.

However, there remains some hope, as the Dubliners are guaranteed to continue their continental journey in the third round of Europa League qualifying, and with a place in the league phase of a UEFA competition still in reach, the Reds have every reason to leave Baku with heads held high.

Qarabag FK Champions League form:

Qarabag FK form (all competitions):

Shelbourne Champions League form:

Shelbourne form (all competitions):

Team News

Qarabag come into this clash not only with a commanding lead but also with a clean bill of health, having emerged from the first leg unscathed and without any players flagged for suspension.

Goalkeeper Amin Ramazanov, who missed the first meeting through injury, is expected to remain sidelined as he continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament issue.

A similar setup to that used in Dublin is expected here, with Akhundzade likely to lead the line once again and Andrade and Abdellah Zoubir offering support from the flanks, although Kashchuk is pushing for a start after his impact off the bench.

Shelbourne also ended the first leg without any fresh injury setbacks or suspension concerns, which leaves O’Brien with options should he decide to shake things up.

Attacker Ademipo Odubeko looks set to retain his place after impressing throughout the campaign with eight goals in 28 outings, including one in the previous round against Linfield.

Qarabag FK possible starting lineup:

Buntic; Bayramov, Mustafazada, Silva, Bolt; Bicalho, Addai, Borges; Andrade, Akhundzade, Zoubir

Shelbourne possible starting lineup:

Kearns; Wilson, Ledwidge, Barrett, Coyle, Caffrey; Koute, McEnroe, Lanny; Odubeko, Wood

We say: Qarabag FK 3-0 Shelbourne (Qarabag win 6-0 on aggregate)

With Qarabag winning seven of their last eight home matches by more than a two-goal margin, another emphatic result seems likely as they look to complete the job in Baku.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.