Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League qualifying match.
Seven years ago, The New Saints and KF Shkendija exchanged dominant home victories in the Champions League first qualifying round, with TNS recording a 4:0 win before KF Shkendija answered emphatically with a 5:0 result in the second leg. In this upcoming clash, it is likely that the initiative will lie with the Macedonians, who have had a promising pre-season campaign.
The New Saints
By contrast, TNS have shown inconsistent form in their friendly fixtures since mid-June. The Welsh team demonstrated patches of quality play in their encounters with Larne FC (2:2), Ayr United FC (1:1), and Newtown AFC (0:1). The New Saints brought in free agent Dominic Corness from the Liverpool FC youth system, who immediately became the most valuable player in the squad with a market valuation of €350,000. However, the 22-year-old defensive midfielder is unlikely to significantly enhance the team’s defensive solidity.
KF Shkendija
KF Shkendija possess a deeper and more valuable squad, with a total market valuation of €5.10 million — roughly one and a half times higher than that of TNS, whose squad is valued at €3.06 million. In their pre-season schedule, the North Macedonian team found the net four times across games against FC Argeș Pitești (1:0), PFC CSKA Sofia (1:1), and Dinamo Tirana (2:1), though their reserve side suffered a heavy defeat to FC Koper (0:4). KF Shkendija appear focused on progressing to the main stages of European competition.
The New Saints vs KF Shkendija Prediction
As was the case in their previous encounter seven years ago, this tie could deliver plenty of goals, but the visitors seem more capable of creating the clearer chances. The double chance on KF Shkendija represents a strong value selection.
