Shakhtyor Soligorsk will be looking to continue their impressive run of form when they welcome Slavia Mozyr in the Belarusian Premier League on Saturday.
The hosts have won three of their last four matches in all competitions and currently sit seventh in the table, while Slavia are ninth, just a single point behind their opponents this weekend.
Match preview
© Reuters
Three wins, three draws and two defeats - that is how Shakhtyor have performed in the Belarusian Premier League this season, picking up 12 points from their eight matches to occupy seventh spot in the table.
They actually went four games without a win in all competitions between April 4 and April 17 but have been victorious in three of their last four, including a 4-0 home success over Isloch on May 3.
Shakhtyor also beat Dinamo Brest 4-2 in the semi-finals of the Belarusian Cup at the end of April, although the victory was not enough to progress to the final as they ultimately lost on away goals.
Yuriy Vernydub's side will enter the match off the back of a goalless draw at Vitebsk last weekend, meaning that they have only lost one of their last seven in the league during a strong run of form.
The Moles have not finished lower than third in the Belarusian Premier League since 2009 and won 20 of their 30 league fixtures last term to claim third behind Dynamo Brest and BATE Borisov.
Slavia, meanwhile, currently occupy ninth spot in the table, having picked up 11 points from their first eight matches of the 2020 campaign.
Mihail Martsinovich's side have struggled for consistency in the early weeks of the campaign but have only lost one of their last three, picking up four points from their last two against Vitebsk and Torpedo-BelAZ.
Slavia secured a return to the top flight after finishing second in the Pershaja Liga two years ago, and they managed to stay in the Belarusian Premier League with an eighth-placed finish last term.
The Red and Blacks have had their problems in recent years, but they are actually two-time winners of the Belarusian Premier League, lifting the trophy in both 1996 and 2000.
Shakhtyor form (Belarusian Premier League): DDLWWD
Slavia form (Belarusian Premier League): WDLLWD
Head To Head
Shakhtyor have won 17 of the last 36 meetings between the two teams in all competitions, with Slavia picking up just nine victories during that run of matches.
The last five fixtures between the two sides have been won by Shakhtyor, who are actually unbeaten against Slavia in all competitions since October 2002.
Shakhtyor put five goals past Slavia when they last locked horns in November 2019, meanwhile, which is an indication of the size of the task facing the visitors this weekend.
We say: Shakhtyor 2-0 Slavia
It is very, very difficult to look past Shakhtyor this weekend. The league table suggests that there is not much between the two teams, but the home side should have too much for Slavia once again.
Matt Law
