Top Vs Bottom in Minsk
Top plays bottom this Sunday at midday as Slutsk take on Belshina Bobruisk. The hosts have been one of the surprise packages in the embryonic standings, having finished 11th last season they now find themselves at the summit of the Belarusian Premier League, picking up 10 points from the opening five. They can be forgiven for their only defeat of the campaign with it coming against reigning champions Dinamo Brest, so the prospect of winless and rock bottom Belshina presents an opportunity to kick on at the top of the division. Slutsk are expectedly firm favourites for this clash, however Belshina have been showing signs of improvement and were desperately unlucky not to get over the line in their last game.
Last time out
Slutsk just about hung on to victory away to Shakhtyor Soligorsk, they were 2-1 victors, with two first half strikes being the decisive blows. Yuri Kozlov got the opener and Bala Muhammad Umar bagged what turned out to be the winner in additional time. Soligorsk were arguably the better side despite the result particularly in the second period, and as the league’s top scorers coming up against the joint second most leaky defence, they should be confident of taking maximum points from this one.
Belshina came agonisingly close to their first win of the season in their last fixture, newly promoted Smolevichi snatched a point from the jaws of defeat in Bobruisk through a 90th minute Yevgeni Barsukov spot kick, 10 minutes after the hosts had gone into the lead also from 12 yards. Three points would have taken them off the bottom, however Eduard Gradoboyev will be hoping it only fuels their determination for this upcoming challenge.
One to watch
Burkinabe centre-back Souleymane Koanda has made an impressive start to life in the Belarusian Premier League, scoring twice, though is yet to help his side to a clean sheet. He was unfortunate enough to turn the ball into his own net giving Soligorsk hope in the last outing but remains a key addition to the Slutsk lineup. The 27-year-old has represented his country and joined in the off-season from the topflight in Ivory Coast, he is a threat from set pieces and will fancy his chances at an unlikely rise to the top scorer in the league against a fragile Belshina backline.
Slutsk have proven that they are a top half outfit this term and so should beat newly promoted Belshina Bobruisk.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
Another effort to be proud pf for Belshina, though it was not enough having come from two goals down Bala Muhammad Umar grabbed the winner and his second of the game on 88 minutes.