Football Bet of the Day: Take off the Rosenborg-tinted glasses

BATE v Rosenborg
Wednesday 24 July, 18:00

As rollercoaster rides go, last night’s Champions League game in Eindhoven was a bit of doozy. Our boys PSV led 1-0, then contrived to fall 2-1 behind, before scoring twice in the dying embers of the match to win 3-2 and give us a push. All far too much excitement in this heat – I needed a second glass of squash to cope.

We’ll reinvest that money in Belarus, because the Champions League qualifiers continue, and BATE Borisov are up against Norwegian outfit Rosenborg.

BATE managed to reach the knockout phase of the Europa League last season, and although they were eventually knocked out by Arsenal, they did beat the Gunners in the first leg in Belarus. They are the reigning champions of their country, and they are a long way into this domestic season, just two points adrift of current leaders Dinamo Brest (stop giggling at the back.) This is a BATE side that’s looking sharp, as their aggregate win over Polish champions Piast Gliwice in the previous set of qualifiers showed.

Rosenborg are sixth in the Norwegian Eliteserien, and have found their form after an awful start to the season. They have won their last five competitive matches, including both legs of their qualifier against Northern Ireland’s Linfield. However, one wonders whether Rosenborg can now make the step up required to reach the next round. Last season they lost both of their away games in the Champions League qualifiers at Valur and Celtic, and in the Eliteserien they have lost four of their last seven matches away from the Lerkendal Stadion. In the league, Rosenborg are averaging fewer than a goal per game on their travels.

Despite Rosenborg’s recent revival, I think they’ll come up short against a BATE side that impressed in the Europa League last term, and that has won six of its last seven home matches in all competitions. I’ll back the hosts to win at [2.5].