Hearts vs. FC Zurich Betting Tips: Back both teams to score in Europa League decider

Hearts host FC Zurich in the second-leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday night as the Scottish side bid to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat in Switzerland. It promises to be an electric atmosphere at Tynecastle as Robbie Neilson’s side look to book their space in the group stages, at the expense of the Swiss champions. A failure to overturn the deficit will see Hearts drop into the Europa Conference League.

After a successful tip in the first-leg, we’ve picked out two more bets for Thursday’s clash...

In the first-leg we tipped up Hearts to get a result (double-chance) in Switzerland due to a combination of their bright start to the season and the inconsistent form of their opponents. Despite taking the lead - which was our second tip at 9/5 - through Lawrence Shankland, the Jam Tarts came away empty-handed. However, it’s only a one goal deficit, and back on home soil in Edinburgh they will still feel that they have a decent chance of making the group stages of the competition.

Hearts are priced at 7/5 to win in 90 minutes and 23/10 to book their place in the Europa League main draw. Zurich are 19/10 to win on the night and 2/7 to advance. Meanwhile, a draw can be backed at 12/5.

Three goals were scored in the first-half of the first-leg and with the tie far from over, we’re expecting more goals at Tynecastle. Hearts may have scored in four of their five games this season, however they’ve also conceded in every match, making it difficult to see them keeping out the Swiss champions, who stuttered at the start of the season but are now unbeaten in four matches, scoring 10 times.

We'll therefore kick things off with the 5/6 (bet365) on both teams to score on Thursday. This bet has landed in four of Hearts’ five matches in all competitions this season, including the first-leg and both of their home matches. In fact, BTTS has come in in five of their last six matches at Tynecastle, and looks well worth backing to occur once again on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, you can back both teams to score in the first-half - which landed in the first-leg - at 7/2 with Paddy Power.

Donis Avdijaj returns to Tynecastle with intent following a deflating three game spell at Hearts in 2020. He promised goals upon his arrival - "There is no country, no city in the world where I don't score. I score everywhere" - but failed to deliver, making just three appearances as the club suffered relegation down to the Championship. 

Avdijaj is now at his fourth club since that sorry stint, but has enjoyed a fine start to life at FC Zurich, bagging a brace in the 3-0 win against Linfield in the previous round. The Kosovan international has accumulated six shots in three games so far in the competition, resulting in two goals, while he twice went close to scoring against Hearts last week.

This won’t particularly please the Hearts faithful, but I like the look of the 10/3 on offer for Avdijaj to ruffle a few feathers on Thursday night by scoring anytime. He’s got his swagger back and will certainly feel he has something to prove when he returns to his former stomping ground.