Torpedo-BelAZ will be looking to move to the top of the Belarusian Premier League when they welcome Gorodeya on Friday.
Torpedo are currently third in the table with 15 points to show from their eight matches, while Gorodeya occupy 11th, having gathered 11 points from their eight fixtures at the start of the 2020 season.
Match preview
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Just one point separates the top five teams in the Belarusian Premier League heading into the latest set of fixtures, and Torpedo will enter Friday's match knowing that a victory would see them move above Slutsk and BATE Borisov to the summit.
Yuri Puntus's side have only actually lost one of their eight league matches this term, with a total of 15 points leaving them in third spot in the table. They also have the second-best defensive record in the division this season, conceding just four times during a strong start.
Torpedo have only won one of their last four league matches, though, and have actually drawn 0-0 on three occasions during that run. Indeed, they will enter this clash off the back of a goalless draw at Slavia, but Puntus's team did put five goals past FC Minsk in their last away fixture.
The 2016 Belarusian Cup winners finished sixth in the Belarusian Premier League last term, while they have not ended a season higher than fifth since ending the 2014 campaign in fourth.
There have been plenty of encouraging signs over the last few weeks, though, and the Zhodino-based outfit will be looking to put another three points on the board here.
Gorodeya have been present at the top level of Belarusian football since 2015, finishing ninth in three of their four campaigns at this level. They are 11th after eight matches of this season, picking up 11 points courtesy of three wins, two draws and three defeats.
Oleg Radushko's side are the lowest scorers in the league this season with just five goals, but they have only conceded seven times, suggesting that Friday's clash will be a tight affair.
Gorodeya picked up nine points from a possible nine in their three games against Belshina, Dinamo Minsk and Energetik-BGU between April 3 and April 16, but they are without a win in their last three.
Indeed, a 2-0 defeat at home to current league leaders BATE on April 25 has been followed by back-to-back 1-1 draws against Rukh Brest and Minsk in their last two.
Torpedo form (Belarusian Premier League): LWDDWD
Gorodeya form (Belarusian Premier League): WWWLDD
Head To Head
Gorodeya have won five of the last 11 matches between the two teams in all competitions, with Torpedo picking up three victories and the further three fixtures finishing level.
The last meeting between the two teams in August 2019 ended in a 1-1 draw, but Torpedo ran out 3-0 winners when they last travelled to Gorodeya in April 2019.
Gorodeya recorded a 1-0 victory when they travelled to Stadyen Tarpeda in August 2018, although Torpedo's form this season suggests that it will be a tough assignment for the visitors in this game.
We say: Torpedo 1-0 Gorodeya
Both sides have been strong defensively this season but neither has been full of goals down the other end. There is every chance that Friday's affair will be a tight encounter, although we expect Torpedo to pick up the three points required to end the evening in first spot in the table.
Matt Law
