- Larne are on a three-game winning streak and have taken four wins and one draw from their last five matches in all competitions.
- Larne have scored an average of 3.00 goals per home game and conceded an average of 1.20 in all competitions.
- FK Red Star Belgrade average 1.25 goals per away match in all competitions (5 goals total).
Larne and Red Star set for tense tussle
Larne are the massive underdogs in their upcoming UEFA Champions League qualification matchup against FK Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda), and this Larne vs FK Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda) preview suggests a difficult night for the hosts. The Serbian superpowers are a very strong 1.14 favorites in the moneyline market, while the draw is priced at a 7.1 and Larne are the underdogs.
Red Star have won five, drawn two and lost three of their last ten matches in all competitions, which is a slightly rocky run for a team that should dominate. They lost 1-2 at home to OFK Belgrade in the Super Liga championship group last outing, then lost 1-3 to Zenit in a friendly. They then produced a 5-0 league win over Mačva Šabac, so there is a bit of swing in their form line.
Larne will face Red Star at Inver Park, where they have won four and lost one of their last five home matches in all competitions. So the Northern Irish side are tough to beat in their own backyard. They have been in excellent rhythm with seven wins from their last 10 in all competitions, so they look to be in the zone at the perfect time.
Red Star's quality should tell in a low-scoring game
On paper, Red Star should have the edge in this match, but Larne's form and their recent European wins over SP Tre Fiori, 1-0 away and 2-1 at home, shows that they can grind out knockout football. This game looks like a classic control vs contain game of chess in which Red Star will try to close the game down while Larne aim to keep things tight and hit back.
Gary Haveron has Larne set up in a well-organized 3-4-1-2 with the wing-backs creating a narrow shape that is difficult to break down, but also good for counter-attacking.
Dejan Stankovic's Red Star are a 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 side that aims to play on the front foot with possession, pressure and overloading the wide lanes and half-space areas, which is why our prediction points to a controlled away performance.
Larne can be effective in transition
Red Star should have the edge on paper, but Larne's best path to a positive result is to keep the game tight and make their moves on the break. Larne will be looking for Dan Bent to be their difference-maker in this competition after scoring one goal in two UEFA Champions League qualification matches - and has a knack of appearing in the right channel at the right time.
Matthew Lusty is Larne's most in-form striker, however, with five goals across the last five matches, so we're taking him in the anytime goalscorer market.
We think this will be a tight match, so Both Teams To Score - No is our selection at 1.5 and Under 2.5 Goals at 2.62 looks a good bet for what we think will be a long, tense night for the hosts. Our Larne vs FK Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda) betting tips lean toward a narrow contest, and the Larne vs FK Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda) prediction is again for a low-scoring affair.
