Prediction: Dnipro vs Fulham

24th August 2011

Dnipro have their work cut out for them following the 3:0 defeat at Craven Cottage, but the Ukrainians are capable of much more than what they showed in the first leg. With a three-goal advantage in their pockets and the Premier League campaign definitely the priority at the moment, Fulham are unlikely to be fully focused on this match.

Dnipro are slowly becoming the new Shakhtar of Ukrainian football as their owners are investing a lot of money in order to create a team capable of matching more illustrious European sides. The mere fact that the club have spent around £30 million on new players during the last two transfer windows proves that they mean business, and there are no doubts that players like Inkoom, Giuliano, Boateng and latest signing Nikola Kalinic have significantly improved the quality of the squad. Dnipro are still trying to find their form and that can maybe explain the disappointing result at Craven Cottage, although the 3:0 defeat can also be attributed to the fact that they have shown too much respect to their opponents. Dnipro are now looking to make amends for the defeat in London, meaning the home side will be very motivated to achieve a victory here, even if they fail to make it to the next round in the end. Coach Juande Ramos rested several starters in the weekend’s game against Vorskla, thus his side take this match very seriously.

After being awarded fair play Europa League spot, Fulham were forced to start the season early on, eliminating NSI Runavik, Crusaders and NK Split to reach the final qualifying round. The European matches seem to have disrupted Martin Jol’s pre-season training as the Cottagers don’t look too sharp at the moment, even if they managed to beat Dnipro 3:0 in the first leg. Fulham largely struggled in Premiership games against Aston Villa and Wolverhampton, so it is more than clear that they need to raise their form in order to escape from the dangerous zone. With Premier League campaign clearly the priority at the moment, Martin Jol is expected to rest most of his starters in Ukraine, especially since Fulham will travel to St James Park just three days after the Dnipro game. Bobby Zamora is unlikely to be risked as he carries an ankle injury, while Simon Davies remains sidelined.

Conclusion

Dnipro didn’t rise up to the occasion at Craven Cottage, but the Ukrainians have got a lot of quality within their ranks and we can expect a whole different ball game in Dnipropetrovsk. Fulham are more concerned with their Premiership battles at the moment and with Martin Jol highly unlikely to field his best side, Dnipro look like a good bet here.

Verdict: Home win Dnipro (1)

Best Odds: 13/10

Bookmaker: William Hill