Rosenborg vs Heart of Midlothian betting tips: Europa Conference League third qualifying round first leg preview, predictions, team news and odds

Rosenborg vs Heart of Midlothian odds and betting statistics

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Rosenborg vs Heart of Midlothian match preview

Heart of Midlothian’s latest European adventure begins in Trondheim, but they’re determined this won’t be the only fixture for which they require passports this season.

Last season, Hearts featured in a first UEFA group stage for 18 years, the high point of that campaign being wins home and away over RFS; those who traveled to Riga will never forget it.

However, including a Europa League play-off defeat to Zürich 12 months ago, the Jambos have won just two of their last nine two-legged ties, dating back to their Champions League campaign during the Romanov years.

At the weekend, in Frankie McAvoy’s first game in charge, Hearts did make a winning start to their Premiership season, beating St Johnstone 2-0 at McDiarmid Park.

Yutaro Oda fired home the opener on his debut, before captain Lawrence Shankland tapped in a clincher in stoppage time, teed-up by the returning Liam Boyce.

So now, will the traveling Jambos, who’ll make the pilgrimage to Norway in their numbers, have a famous win to celebrate?

Since then, the Troillongan have twice reached the play-off round but lost both times, dumped out by PSV Eindhoven and Stade Rennais.

In the previous round, they, just about, battled past Crusaders of Northern Ireland, a tie they were expected to easily win.

Following a 2-2 draw in Belfast, the pair then drew 1-1 in Trondheim, forcing extra time.

Ísak Snær Þorvaldsson put the Troll Children in front, only for Crusaders to hit back instantaneously, before Leo Cornic struck, what turned out to be, the decisive blow.

Overall, 2023 has not gone to plan for this team, sacking manager Kjetil Rekdal in mid-June, with the team currently eighth in the Eliteserien.

Under interim boss Svein Maalen, the Troillongan have won four successive league matches, most-recently beating ten-man Haugesund on Sunday.

Nevertheless, they’re still seven points adrift the potential European spots, 18 matches into the 30-game Eliteserien season.

In short, the home side are beatable, so will Hearts leave Lerkendal Stadion with a positive result, ahead of next Thursday’s rematch at Tynecastle?

The winners of this tie will take on PAOK or Hajduk Split in the UEFA Europa Conference League play-offs.

Rosenborg team news

Defenders Markus Henriksen and Jonathan Augustinsson as well as striker Noah Holm are all injured.

Emil Frederiksen and Ísak Snær Þorvaldsson both came into the XI against Haugesund at the weekend, that latter doing so having scored in extra time of last Thursday’s victory over Crusaders.

In goal, veteran André Hansen was dropped at the weekend, so it’ll be interesting to see if understudy Sander Tangvik keeps his place.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Hansen; Cornic, Yttergård Jenssen, Dahl Reitan; Pereira; Børkeeiet, Nypan, Tagseth; Holse, Þorvaldsson, Nelson.

Heart of Midlothian team news

In stark contrast to their hosts, Hearts’ have played just one competitive match this season, so how many changes will Frankie McAvoy make from the team who won in Perth on Saturday?

Zander Clark will continue in goal, as Craig Gordon continues to recover from the broken leg he suffered on Christmas Eve.

Centre-back Craig Halkett as well as winger Barrie McKay and Finlay Pollock are also sidelined.

Liam Boyce though is back, coming off the bench against St Johnstone for his first appearance in 342 days, having ruptured his ACL against the same opponents last August.

Lawrence Shankland scored 28 goals last season, including netting in both Zürich and Riga, hoping to make it two in two to start the new campaign, having got off the mark at McDiarmid Park.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Clark; Atkinson, Rowles, Kent, Kingsley; Devlin, Haring, Nieuwenhof; Oda, Forrest, Shankland.

UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round results & fixtures

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