Football Bet of the Day: 5/2 punt for Wednesday

My football bet of the day for Wednesday, July 17 focuses on the second leg between Larne and Rigas FS in the Champions League first qualifying round.

Rigas were comfortable 3-0 winners in the first leg at the Janis Skredelis Stadium, and the Northern Irish champions have a mountain to climb if they want to keep their European hopes alive.

Football Odds

Larne will be aiming to complete of the club's greatest-ever comebacks against Rigas on Wednesday night, but the odds are stacked against them.

The Northern Irish side were a second division outfit as recently as 2019, and are now competing in a European competition for a fourth straight season, whilst also earning a spot in the qualification rounds of the Champions League in consecutive years.

However, the Inver Reds were outclassed in Latvia last week, which puts them on the brink of elimination on Wednesday night. That defeat also means that Larne have now failed to win any of their last seven matches across the Champions League and Europa Conference League.

On their way to the title in April, Larne showcased their strength when playing in front of their own fans, recording emphatic 8-1 and 5-0 wins over Cliftonville and Coleraine respectively, so they may be capable of overturning the three-goal deficit that was sustained in the Latvian capital last Wednesday.

Larne vs Rigas FS Odds

Rigas, meanwhile, are arguably the most in-form team taking part in the early stages of the Champions League, with last week's win extending their unbeaten run across all competitions to 12 matches.

The Latvian side only lost once during their 36-game league campaign last season, but they finished just a single point above second-placed Riga FC to secure a spot in this season's Champions League qualifying. In addition, Rigas have considerable pedigree in UEFA competitions over recent years, as they featured in the group stages of the 2022-23 Europa Conference League, in which they recorded a historic 1-1 draw at the home of eventual runners-up Fiorentina.

I'm expecting a spirited performance from the home side at Inver Park, especially since the Northern Irish champions fought back against HJK Helsinki in their home leg at this stage last season following an away-leg loss.

However, the visitors are in much better form, and in the middle of their domestic campaign. Viktors Morozs' side have opened up a commanding lead at the top domestically and they’ve won 12 of their last 13 games heading into this contest.

All things considered, I'm opting for a Rigas win as well as both teams to score.

Offers

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 50% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down.

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