Lincoln Red Imps vs Fola Esch

Lincoln Red Imps will be looking to build on a 2-2 first-leg draw when they lock horns with Fola Esch in the return leg of their Champions League qualifying tie at the Victoria Stadium.

Lincoln squandered a 1-0 half-time lead in the reverse fixture but still managed to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight matches (W5, D3). The hosts have been scoring practically at will lately, netting 2+ goals in their last five competitive outings on an average of 2.6 per game. Interestingly, Mick McElwee’s men have alternated between scoring precisely three goals per match and bagging under 1.5 goals in each of their last five competitive home fixtures, with seven of their ten goals scored in that period coming in the first half of play. Since going down 5-0 to Rangers in last season’s Europa League qualifying, Lincoln have suffered just one defeat in their subsequent 13 home games (W11, D1, L1), scoring 2+ goals on ten occasions in the process.

On the other hand, the reverse fixture draw saw the visitors’ four-game winning streak come to a halt, though it also means they have netted over 1.5 goals in six of their last seven matches in all competitions. Delivering action from the get-go, Sébastien Grandjean’s men have notched 2+ first-half goals in three of their last five competitive outings. However, before claiming an overwhelming 3-0 win over domestic rivals Jeunesse Esch in their most recent road trip, they had lost back-to-back competitive away matches, conceding 2+ goals on each occasion. Indeed, there’s been plenty of action in Fola’s recent away fixtures, as each of the last four featured over 2.5 goals, with three of them seeing both teams on the scoresheet.