Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Conference League clash between Pafos FC and Heidenheim, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Cypriot side Pafos FC will hope to pick up their second win in the league phase of the Conference League on Thursday when they host German team Heidenheim at Alphamega Stadium.
The home team are fifth with three points from one game in the competition, while the away side also have three points after beating Olimpija Ljubljana 2-1 on October 3 but are 12th in the table.
Match preview
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Pafos FC beat Petrocub Hincesti 4-1 on October 3, a match in which they trailed 1-0 after 29 minutes but raced into a 2-1 lead by the 37th minute.
Thursday’s hosts were utterly dominant against Petrocub, producing 16 shots and creating four big chances while limiting their opponents to just one big chance themselves.
Manager Juan Carlos Carcedo will be pleased with his side’s domestic showings this term considering they are currently first in the Cypriot top flight with 19 points from seven matches.
Carcedo’s team have won eight of their last 10 games in all competitions, and have won four and lost three of their seven fixtures in the Conference League.
Pafos have also won six of their seven most recent home games, and have won all three of their Conference League matches at Alphamega Stadium.
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As for the visitors, they had taken a 1-0 lead after just six minutes against Olimpija Ljubljana, but only claimed all three points after Paul Wanner‘s 83rd-minute winner cancelled out Alex Blanco‘s 77th-minute equaliser.
Boss Frank Schmidt was caught in two minds following his team’s victory, as while he recognised the historic nature of the fact the club won its first ever group stage or league phase Conference League match, he thought his players could have prevented Ljubljana’s goal.
Schmidt’s side are ninth in the Bundesliga with nine points from seven games, and have lost four of their last five league matches having won their first two top-flight fixtures of 2024-25.
Despite losing four of their last six games, the German team have scored eight times in that period, thought they did concede 12 goals in those matches.
Heidenheim have lost two of their last three away fixtures, but they had won four and drawn one of the previous five games on the road.
Pafos FC Conference League form:
Pafos FC form (all competitions):
Heidenheim Conference League form:
Heidenheim form (all competitions):
Team News
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The hosts could name a similar XI to the side that beat Petrocub Hincesti, so expect Bruno, Derrick Luckassen, David Goldar and Jonathan Silva to start in a back four.
Ivan Sunjic may start at the base of a midfield three, with Vlad Dragomir and Muamer Tankovic candidates to start either side of him.
Jairo da Silva could start as a striker, flanked by wide players Joao Correia and Jaja.
Heidenheim will be without midfielder Julian Niehues until the middle of December, as well as striker Maximilian Breunig until early November.
In defence, centre-back Patrick Mainka may be partnered by Tim Siersleben, while Lennard Maloney, Adrian Beck and Niklas Dorsch are candidates to form a midfield three.
Breunig could be replaced by Marvin Pieringer, who may be flanked by wingers Leo Scienza and Sirlord Conteh.
Pafos FC possible starting lineup:
Ivusic; Bruno, Luckassen, Goldar, Silva; Tankovic, Sunjic, Dragomir; Correia, Da Silva, Jaja
Heidenheim possible starting lineup:
Muller; Traore, Mainka, Siersleben, Theuerkauf; Beck, Maloney, Dorsch; Conteh, Pieringer, Scienza
We say: Pafos FC 1-2 Heidenheim
Although Heidenheim have struggled for form in recent weeks, they have still posed a significant attacking threat, and it is difficult to see how Pafos keep them at bay.
However, given the visitors’ difficulties of late, it would not be surprising if Thursday’s clash was a close affair.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.