Shakhtyor Soligorsk will face off against Ludogorets on Tuesday, July 13 at Stadion na Banovom brdu, which will serve as a neutral stadium for the second leg of UEFA Champions League qualifiers. Last time out, Ludogorets won 1-0, which puts them in a favourable position to seal the deal tonight.
Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs Ludogorets
When: Tuesday, July 13 – 21:30 CEST
Where: Stadion na Banovom brdu in Belgrade, Serbia
Weather: Clear, 32°C
Referee: Arda Kardeşler (TUR)
Ludogorets won their last outing with Shakhtyor Soligorsk 1-0, with a late 90’+2 goal after dominating for the entire 90 minutes. It was, however, a well-deserved win, which leaves us hopeful that the Bulgarian side will be just as efficient tonight.
Shakhtyor Soligorsk are in for a tough task tonight in Serbia, as they look to upset the reigning Parva liga champions. Having not played a single match since their last outing with the Bulgarians, Shakhtyor Soligorsk have had enough time to rest, but will that be enough to eliminate Ludogorets and advance into the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League qualifiers?
Ludogorets Eyeing Another Victory
Ludogorets won their last outing with Shakhtyor Soligorsk, albeit only barely. They ended the match with a goal in the second minute of extra time to secure a marginal lead ahead of the second leg.
Even though you can’t be too impressed with Ludogorets’ minimal victory, it’s worth keeping in mind that the Bulgarian side haven’t played a single competitive match before that since late May.
Since their last domestic league match against CSKA 1948 Sofia on Wednesday, May 26, Ludogorets played four friendly matches. During that stretch, they faced Heimstetten (2-0), CFR Cluj (1-1), Ferencvaros (1-3), and LASKL (3-0), who they beat just under two weeks before they clashed with the Belarus side.
Ludogorets ended the match with 56% ball possession and shot the ball 5/20. Shakhtyor Soligorsk, meanwhile, managed only six shots on goal, three of which were aimed toward the goal.
As the numbers would suggest, Ludogorets should have scored a couple more goals on the day, yet their players seemed somewhat inefficient with the ball. Cauly Oliveira-Souza ended up converting his chance on the day, scoring his first goal since Ludogorets’ 4-1 victory against Arda in the penultimate round of their domestic competition.
Shakhtyor Soligorsk Hoping For An Upset
Shakhtyor Soligorsk are the current Vysshaya Liga frontrunners with a 13-1-0 record and 40 points. The closest team to them on the standings are BATE with a 11-3-1 record and 36 points, while the rest of the league seems to be a class below the top two.
Despite their incredible run through the domestic competition, Shakhtyor Soligorsk are still viewed as heavy underdogs for this bout, which makes sense. The Belarus top flight isn’t nearly as competitive as Prava Liga, giving Ludogorets an edge as a more talented roster.
On a more positive note, Shakhtyor Soligorsk are 11-1-2 in their last 14 outings. During that stretch, they drew with Dynamo Brest (1-1) and lost against Ludogorets (0-1) and Isloch in the semi-finals of the Belarusian Cup.
Darboe Dembo is Shakhtyor Soligorsk’s top goalscorer on the season, with 13 goals in 14 outings. He has four goals to his name across his last six appearances, however, he hasn’t scored once in his last two.
Ludogorets vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk Betting Picks
Shakhtyor Soligorsk lost only by one goal last time out, but they can count themselves lucky for keeping the score relatively close. Ludogorets were miles better on the day and could have scored at least two more.
Much of Ludogorets’s lack of success that day was primarily due to their lack of fitness. They aren’t played a single competitive match in 1.5 months prior to their first-leg clash with Shakhtyor Soligorsk.
Even though that game remains their first and only competitive outings since winning their domestic league, their fitness level should be better as they look to seal the deal at Stadion na Banovom brdu with plenty to spare.
Prediction: Ludogorets to win – 1.84 at Sportmarket
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