Race to Wembley 2024 starts tonight

Race to Wembley 2024 starts tonight

With more than R1-million added in to various TAB soccer pools this coming weekend, there’s no better time for lovers of the most beautiful game to try their luck betting on matches which could provide huge payouts.

By Mark Gleeson

It was just over one month ago, on 10 June, that Manchester City claimed the Champions League with a victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul. The 2023-24 final is in London on 1 June next year and already the race to Wembley is underway.

Admittedly, none of the teams who are participating in the first preliminary round have any realistic chance of getting to the group phase, never mind the final, but it is the start of another potentially compelling season of what is acknowledged as the world’s most popular club competition.

There could be a few surprises tonight and tomorrow in the first leg ties, starting tonight in Kosovo where Balkani take on Ludogorets Razgrad from Bulgaria. Ludogorets have won the last 12 Bulgarian league titles and have twice before reached the group stage of the Champions League.

It will take four knockout rounds to get to the group phase this year.

Ludogorets have an outside chance, as does Qarabag from Azerbaijan, Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova and Israel’s Maccabi Haifa.

Tiny Larne won the league title in Northern Ireland last season for their first success in their 134-year history and take on HJK Helsinki of Finland, who have been competing regularly since 1966. When they host Larne tomorrow tonight it will be their 149th match in European club competition.

Tomorrow night there is also a full round of fixtures in Major League Soccer – which will of course take place in the early hours of Thursday morning local time due to the time difference.

Bradley Carnell’s St Louis City still lead the Western Conference after continuing their excellent debut season with a 1-0 win at struggling Toronto FC on the weekend, giving them a third straight victory.

Next up is a trip to defending champions Los Angeles FC, who are five points behind them. It is going to be a real test for St Louis, where former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Njabulo Blom is a regular starter.

At the weekend, LAFC were held at home by San Jose Earthquakes - their fourth game without a win.

In the Eastern Conference, leaders FC Cincinnati had to fight back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Charlotte FC on Saturday.

Cincinnati, the top-ranked team in MLS, are now without a win in three games but were staring at a third defeat of the season before rallying for a share of the points, despite playing the last 15 minutes down to 10 men.

Tomorrow, they play away at New York Red Bulls, another tough test.