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Rigas Futbola Skola v Hearts tips: Europa Conference League best bets and preview
Hearts face Rigas Futbola Skola in a Europa League Conference qualifier and James Cantrill picks out two best bets.
Football betting tips: Europa Conference League
1pt Lawrence Shankland Anytime Goalscorer at 13/8 (Sky Bet)
0.5pts Lawrence Shankland to Score and Be Carded at 9/1 (Betfair)
All eyes will be on the Latvian capital on Thursday evening as Hearts head to their to take on Virsliga champions Rigas Futbola Skola.
Having scraped through their qualification play-off game against Northern Irish side Linfield, thanks to a 120+1 minute winner, Thursday nights hosts went into the Europa Conference League very much considered the minnows of Group A.
However, after securing a famous point at Fiorentina on match day one, they have gone a long way to dispel those claims and will come into this fixture in better spirits then their Scottish opponents as they are are unbeaten in their last ten.
Following promotion from the Championship, Hearts finished third last season and were expected to kick on this campaign, ten games in though and six defeats from their last seven paints a different picture.
Their European campaign did not get off to an ideal start either as Istanbul Basaksehir put four past them in Edinburgh last week. With postponements over the weekend, Robbie Neilson side have had plenty of time to dwell on that defeat.
They have not kept a clean sheet all season and are averaging over a goal a game so expect a goal laden match here and with that in mind I think the goalscorer market is worth delving into.
LAWRENCE SHANKLAND scores goals. The Scotsman has bagged 78 in a career spanning just over 200 appearances, that is a goals per 90 average of 0.48.
The frontman hit a tally of 24 in consecutive seasons in the Scottish Championship, first with Ayr United before gaining promotion with Dundee United in the 2019/20 season.
He struggled to maintain this in the top-flight, finding the net eight times before being shipped out to Beerschot after a season.
After failing to make an impact in Belgium, Shankland resurfaced at Tynecastle and is showing glimpses of his former self scoring four times this season, despite only starting six of his side's ten games.
At the prices available, I think backing him to SCORE ANYTIME is worth a punt, he spearheads the favourites' attack and should relish the opportunity given the opponents pedigree.
For a forward, Shankland has a surprisingly poor disciplinary record. This campaign, he already has three bookings to his name, one of which coming in his side's second leg of their Europa League play-off game.
Combining a Shankland GOAL with him TO BE CARDED via Betfair’s bet builder provides some interest, an angle that has clicked four times during his last two full seasons in Scotland.
The fact that Aleksandar Stavres has the whistle for this clash suits the card aspect. In this competition, he has brandished 177 cards in 42 appearances, only failing to award at least four cards in three of his last 16 games in the UEL.
Rigas Futbola Skola v Hearts best bets and score prediction
- 1pt Lawrence Shankland Anytime Goalscorer at 13/8 (Sky Bet)
- 0.5pts Lawrence Shankland to Score and Be Carded at 9/1 (Betfair)
Score prediction: Rigas FS 1-2 Hearts (Sky Bet odds: 8/1)
Odds correct at 1210 BST (14/09/22)
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