Football Bet of the Day: TNS heading for early exit?

There's plenty of Uefa Champions League qualifying action to enjoy on Tuesday, and that's where our Football Bet of the Day comes from - more specifically, the first-round second-leg affair between Shkendija and The New Saints (19:00 BST, live on BBC iPlayer).

The tie is finely poised following a tense goalless draw at Park Hall, so it will now be decided in Macedonia.

Shkendija vs The New Saints Odds

TNS' dream of reaching the Champions League proper for the very first time hangs in the balance on Tuesday, as they head to Macedonia after a goalless first leg in Shropshire.

Craig Harrison's side managed come through their first tie last year, when they won 4-1 on aggregate against FK Decic, before slipping down to the Uefa Conference League qualifiers.

The Welsh side remain dominant domestically, winning a treble last season - and they begin their latest Cymru Premier title defence next month - but the Saints will be eager to make that next step in Europe, by making it past the Champions League qualification stage for the first time in their history.

However, in order to do so, TNS must face their demons and travel to the Tose Proeski Arena -  a ground they lost 5-0 at in 2018. The Welsh outfit did almost reverse that deficit in the second leg with a 4-0 win, but their travelling record in Europe leaves a lot to be desired.

The hosts will be confident of securing a much-needed win on Tuesday, as they've enjoyed some solid results on their own patch over the years.

The Macedonian side have won three, drawn one, and lost one of their last five European home games, including a stalemate against Swedish side AIK in 2022.

In contrast, TNS have lost five of their last six on the road on the continent, failing to score in three of those defeats, which is why backing the hosts to win to nil appeals here.

Shkendija were eliminated the last time they faced Welsh opposition in the early rounds of a Uefa competition - Haverfordwest County beat them on penalties in the Conference League's first-qualifying round back in 2023.

I believe TNS will put up a fight here, but ultimately they'll fall short and suffer they same fate they did at the Tose Proeski Arena seven years ago.

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