The first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round between Aktobe (Kazakhstan) and Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) will take place on July 24 at the Central Stadium. Aktobe vs. Sparta Prague: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Aktobe
Vyacheslav Levchuk's side began this European season in the Europa League but were defeated twice by Legia with the same scoreline, 0-1. This will be Aktobe's third participation in the Conference League. Last season, the Kazakh team only played one round in this tournament, and the year before, they reached the third qualifying stage, which is the club's best achievement in the Conference League.
- The team has not won in 6 of their last 7 European matches (1 draw, 5 losses).
- In their last 6 international games, the club has not conceded more than one goal.
- Aktobe failed to score in 5 of their last 7 home European matches.
Predicted lineup for Aktobe (4-5-1)
Andrey Vlad – Nemanja Andjelkovic, Bagdat Kairav, Bogdan Vatejelu, Lev Skvortsov – Daniel Sosa, Jairo Jean, Nikita Korzun, Georgy Zhukov, Vyacheslav Shvyrev – Artur Shushenachyev.
Sparta Prague
The Prague team finished fourth in the last Czech championship, earning a spot in the Conference League. Previously, Sparta participated in the third-tier European competition in its inaugural season, reaching just shy of the round of 16. Last year, the team competed in the Champions League but showed very weak results, winning only one match in the group stage (1 draw, 6 losses). Additionally, the Czechs conceded 21 goals, with only four teams having a worse record.
Before the new season, the team was taken over by Brian Priske, whose last position was at Feyenoord.
- The team is on a 6-match losing streak in the Champions League.
- Sparta has scored at least one goal in 11 of their last 13 away European matches.
- At least one goal has been scored in both halves in 11 of Sparta's last 13 away European matches.
Predicted lineup for Sparta Prague (3-4-3)
Peter Vindahl-Jensen – Emmanuel Uchenna, Filip Panak, Elias Cobbaut – Jaroslav Zeleny, Kaan Kairinen, Pavel Kaderabek, Patrik Vydra – Jan Kuchta, Ermal Krasniqi, Lukas Haraslin.
Referee
Kristoffer Hagenes (Norway)
Matches – 7 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 32;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.6;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 14%.
Match Prediction: Aktobe vs. Sparta Prague
The elimination from the Europa League likely did not surprise Aktobe's fans, as the Kazakh team rarely achieves positive results in European competitions. The fact that Legia was just starting their season while the Kazakh league was already halfway through didn't help either. Nonetheless, Aktobe has been competitive on the international stage, losing their last five matches by only a narrow margin. At home in European competitions, Aktobe has never lost by more than one goal.
The Czechs regularly participate in European competitions, but Sparta struggles to deliver consistent results away and at home. The Prague team has won only 4 of their last 22 away matches in international competitions (3 draws, 15 losses). Having played only one official game this season, facing an opponent in good form will be challenging. The long distance the Czechs must travel should not be underestimated either. I believe these factors will help the hosts put on a commendable performance.
My prediction: Aktobe with a handicap (+1.5)
