Dundee United vs Rapid Vienna Prediction: Visitors should learn their lessons

Dundee United welcome Rapid Vienna to Tannadice Park on Thursday (19:45 BST) as the two teams compete for a place in the play-off round of the Uefa Conference League. The first leg of this third-qualifying round tie ended in a 2-2 draw last week in Austria, which means it's all to play for as the two teams meet in Scotland.

Jim Goodwin's Dundee United had enjoyed a strong start to the season, but they were handed their first defeat of the campaign when falling to a 3-2 loss to Hearts on Sunday. Below are my Dundee United vs Rapid Vienna predictions, alongside team news and match odds.

Team News

Goodwin will be unable to call upon three first-team players for Thursday's encounter. Right-back Ryan Strain, centre-back Ross Graham and left winger Kristijan Trapanovski are all absent until September at the earliest due to hamstring injuries.

Today's Football Fixtures

Rapid Vienna coach Peter Stoger is without five first-team players, with Tobias Borkeeiet, Moritz Oswald, Jakob Scholler, Noah Bischof and Amin-Elias Groller all absent.

Dundee United vs Rapid Vienna Odds

Dundee United earned a hard-fought draw during last week’s first leg in the Austrian capital, and they are 11/4, or a 26.7% chance, to win this game, with Rapid Vienna priced at 4/5 for the victory. Another draw can be backed at 13/5.

After sharing four goals last week, it is 13/8 for over 3.5 to be netted again on Thursday, while a repeat of the 2-2 scoreline in Vienna is 12/1.

Rapid Vienna to win @ 8/11

Rapid Vienna had a year to forget last season by their own high standards as they finished fifth in the final Austrian Bundesliga standings.

Former boss Robert Klaub was shown the door in April, and now it is Stoger who leads the Green Whites into battle on Thursday.

The Austrian giants have adapted well to his tactics and ideas and have made a strong start to the new season.

Rapid Vienna are unbeaten in six matches under Stoger's stewardship, including last week's 2-2 draw against their hosts. They responded to that perhaps disappointing result by beating Sturm Graz 2-1 at the weekend, and things are looking up for Stoger's troops.

In the first leg last week, Rapid Vienna felt that they should have won after registering 21 shots, and they finished the match with an xG of 2.49.

Dundee United's confidence will have been knocked by that defeat to Hearts and Rapid Vienna seem to be playing them at the perfect time.

Both teams to score @ 8/13

While Rapid Vienna are expected to come out on top, they should concede this week. Dundee United have scored two goals in three consecutive matches, while the visitors have only kept one clean sheet in their last four.

Goodwin's team will feel that they can build on last week's 2-2 draw on their travels, and with a passionate home crowd behind them, the Terrors can find the back of the net before falling short on Thursday night.

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