Preview: Belarus vs Finland - prediction, team news, lineups

Belarus will look to build on their first victory of the UEFA Nations League when they face League C Group 1 leaders Finland at the Illovszky Rudolf Stadion in Budapest on Tuesday.

The hosts will be playing another nominal home fixture on neutral territory, with UEFA restrictions continuing to prevent Belarus from staging matches in the country.

Match preview

Belarus opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat away to Albania, but they responded by holding Finland to a goalless draw in Helsinki before producing their best performance of the group stage against San Marino on Saturday.

The 4-0 victory over San Marino was their first Nations League win of the campaign, with Artem Kontsevoi scoring twice after the break, while Artem Shumanskiy and Maks Ebong also found the net to give Viktor Goncharenko's team a much-needed attacking boost.

Goncharenko's main achievement since taking charge has been making Belarus considerably harder to beat, with the team conceding no more than two goals in each of their last 10 matches, while they have shipped just two goals in their Nations League campaign.

That improvement has given Belarus a platform from which they can attack more confidently without leaving large spaces behind their defence, and they have taken four points from their opening three games.

Goncharenko will hope his team can take another step forward when they face a Finnish side they have never beaten in six previous meetings.

Finland, meanwhile, arrive after recovering from an early setback against Albania on Saturday, as Rey Manaj put the hosts ahead after only four minutes, but Leo Walta equalised before half time and then completed the turnaround with his second goal in the 71st minute.

Walta has become Finland's most productive player during this Nations League campaign, with his brace against Albania following a hat-trick against San Marino, giving him five goals in the group stage.

Jacob Friis's side remain in the stronger position in Group C1, leading the section with seven points from three games, while Albania are only one point behind and Belarus are three points adrift.

Playing as visitors in this fixture has not been commonplace for Finland, having been hosts in five of the six previous meetings between the sides and drawing 1-1 in the only occasion when they played away.

Belarus Nations League form:

Finland Nations League form:

Team News

Belarus have no reported injuries or suspensions ahead of the rematch, and Goncharenko is expected to stick with his trusted core.

Fedor Lapoukhov has been used in goal during the Nations League, while Zakhar Volkov, Kirill Gomanov and Kirill Pechenin have been regular defensive selections.

Kontsevoi scored twice last time out and is becoming an increasingly important attacking outlet under Goncharenko, with the forward expected to start on the right wing for the hosts.

Finland have also reported no fresh injury problems, with Glen Kamara returning to the squad after a year away, but Kaan Kairinen is suspended due to two yellow cards.

Oliver Antman and Naatan Skytta were not selected, while Nikolai Alho and Jesse Joronen have retired from international football.

Joel Pohjanpalo offers Finland a more direct route towards goal, with the experienced striker scoring three times in the 7-0 win over San Marino, and he gives the visitors a target for crosses and forward passes.

Belarus possible starting lineup:

Lapoukhov; Begunov, Gomanov, Volkov, Pechenin; Ebong, Yablonskiy; Kontsevoi, Gromyko, Simanenka; Melnichenko

Finland possible starting lineup:

Hradecky; Stahl, T. Miettinen, S. Miettinen, Lahteenmaki; Kamara, Markhiev, Walta; Svanback, Pohjanpalo, Hakans

We say: Belarus 0-1 Finland

Belarus have made enough progress under Goncharenko to suggest that Finland will not have an easy evening in Budapest, but the visitors still possess more proven match-winners in the attacking areas, and we expect them to eventually find a breakthrough.

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