It's game one of two in the Champions League as Ludogorets host Shamrock Rovers. This is a 2nd Qualifying Round fixture played over two legs and nothing will be decided tonight.
These teams have little in common geographically as Shamrock Rovers have to travel 3200 kilometers to reach their opponents. The trip home will be especially long if the match ends in defeat.
These are hectic days for the hometeam, as they were in action only four days ago in the Parva Liga. Thankfully the previous game, versus Lokomotiv Plovdiv, was also a home game here at Huvepharma Arena. The away team is better rested.
Ludogorets form and stats
Ludogorets have not come this way in the Champions League without some hard work on the way, more precisely defeating Sutjeska. Last season their Champions League adventure ended in the play-offs against Malmö FF.Ludogorets have played 1 Parva Liga games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 1-0-0 (wins-draws-losses).
Nothing to worry about in defence for Ludogorets, as their goalkeeper Sergio Padt has completely shut out the opponents for 405 minutes in the Parva Liga.
Ludogorets's last game was hosting Lokomotiv Plovdiv and winning 2-0.
Ludogorets are believed to win this game, given a winning chance of about 70% by the bookmakers. We have checked our records for their performance in similar circumstances and found 9 matches and the win/draw/lost stats: Won 8, drew 0 and lost 1.
The manager Šimundža will start preparations for the next game as soon this is finished, as the hosts are going to CSKA 1948 Sofia in only three days.
Early season league goal statistics from Ludogorets's 1 home game: 2 goals, 0 conceded.
Shamrock Rovers form and stats
The traveling awayteam has defeated Hibernians in order to reach 2nd qualifying round of Champions League. They also participated in Champions League last season. This ended in the 1st qualifying round, when Slovan Bratislava drew the shortest straw.The visitors are W6-D2-L4 on the road this term. That's in the Premier Division.
It's another away match for the visitors, as they travelled to Hibernians in their previous outing. The Champions League battle ended 0-0.
Shamrock Rovers have a decent goal production going in their away games, although not fantastic. In 12 league away games 16 goals have been scored. Shamrock are defending well in their away games, having conceded only 9 times in 12 matches. For more goal statistics, check out the Statistics tab above.
Head 2 Head
Top Goalscorers
  G. Burke 7 goals |  R. Gaffney 6 goals |  A. Lyons 6 goals |
Ludogorets missing players
Shamrock Rovers missing players
| Ludogorets | Shamrock Rovers | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 13 | Played | P | 13 | 25 | ||
| 21 | 12 | Won | W | 7 | 17 | ||
| 1 | 0 | Drew | D | 3 | 5 | ||
| 3 | 1 | Lost | L | 3 | 3 | ||
| 60 | 38 | Scored | S | 16 | 37 | ||
| 16 | 8 | Conceded | C | 7 | 12 | ||
| 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 85% | 88% | ||
| 76% | 85% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 46% | 48% | ||
| 64% | 69% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 38% | 40% | ||
| 32% | 46% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 8% | 20% | ||
| 24% | 38% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | ||
| 40% | 46% | BTTS | BTTS | 31% | 32% | ||
| 52% | 54% | Clean Sheets | C S | 46% | 56% | ||
| 8% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 38% | 24% | ||
| 6.6 | 6.8 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 6.1 | 6.8 | ||
| 5 | 6.1 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 2.8 | 3.3 | ||
| 2.3 | 2.1 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2.1 | 1.8 | ||
| 1 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 2 | ||
| 12.7 | 10.9 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 10.5 | 11.5 | ||
| 5.2 | 4.6 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 4.4 | 4.8 | ||
| 44% | 55% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 28% | 32% | ||
| 7.7 | 8.6 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 5.7 | 5.2 | ||
| 2.8 | 3 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 2 | 2 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Ludogorets | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| 2 | CSKA Sofia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Beroe | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Cherno More | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Hebar 1918 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Slavia Sofia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Botev Vratsa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 10 | OFK Pirin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 11 | Levski Sofia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 12 | Lokomotiv Sofia 1929 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| 13 | Spartak Varna | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| 14 | Botev Plovdiv | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 15 | Arda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| 16 | Septemvri Sofia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers | 23 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 37 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 9 | 23 | 51 |
| 2 | Dundalk | 23 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 32 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 42 |
| 3 | Derry City | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 38 | 21 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 40 |
| 4 | St Patrick's | 24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 33 | 22 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 36 |
| 5 | Sligo Rovers | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 31 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 32 |
| 6 | Bohemians | 23 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 31 | 29 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 32 |
| 7 | Shelbourne | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 28 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 12 | -7 | 28 |
| 8 | Drogheda United | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 36 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 21 | -13 | 25 |
| 9 | Finn Harps | 22 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 18 | 40 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 24 | -22 | 12 |
| 10 | UCD | 22 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 13 | 47 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 30 | -34 | 9 |
