Belarus Premier League Matchday 18 Odds & Picks

• Matchday 18 in the Belarus Premier League with games starting this Friday
• Shakhtar are now two points clear, with BATE three games without a win
• We list the odds for all seven games and preview three, offering our best picks

As we approach Matchday 18 of the Belarus Premier League, things are getting ever tighter at the top. BATE have now gone two weeks without a win and Shakhtar have benefited. Six points separate the top four.

We’ll list the whole schedule, show the odds, preview three games, and offer a pick for each.

Belarus Premier League Matchday 18 Odds

All odds taken July 16

Pick 1: Neman Grodno vs Shakhtar Soligorsk

It’s third versus first in the Neman Stadium, as leaders Shakhtar look to turn the screw on the chasing pack. Shakhtar’s 4-1 home win over Gorodeya at the weekend, while BATE were only drawing with Slavia, was enough for them to open up a two-point gap at the top. Neman, who remain the league’s in-form team, dropped points last weekend for the first time in seven games, but still managed to pick up a point against Vitebsk. They remain in real contention, especially if they can pick up something here against Shakhtar.

When these two met in Soligorsk in early April – with the league still in its formative weeks – it was goalless; a sign of things to come for Shakhtar’s defense, which has conceded just nine goals all season. But after a slow(ish) start to the campaign, The Miners have galvanized themselves into an effective unit at both ends of the pitch – only BATE and Dinamo Brest have scored more goals – and have now gone eight games on the road without losing.

Neman, meanwhile, have the league’s best home record (6-1-1) and so, in theory, something has to give. But, there’s enough to lose here for both teams to bring the draw into play. I see a low scoring one, possibly a1-1

Pick: Neman and Shakhtar to draw (+230)

Pick 2: Torpedo BelAZ vs Dinamo Minsk

Two teams on fringes of the top six meet in Zhodino’s Torpedo Stadium, with both still in striking distance of the top three. For Torpedo it’s an opportunity to get their season back on track after two consecutive defeats have seen them drop out of the top three; especially disappointing for them as after Matchday 15 they were just a point behind current leaders Shakhtar. But a win here for Torpedo will see them leapfrog Dinamo and re-instill some confidence that’s been missing over the last fortnight.

Dinamo comes into this one off the back of a 1-0 win over FC Minsk in the derby, and will still see a European place as a realistic target. They have done okay away from home so far this season – three wins, a draw, and four defeats – and three weeks ago were the team that started BATE’s wobble, when they won 2-0 in the Borisov Arena. They’ll see this as an opportunity to push on given Torpedo’s own wobble. For me, there’s value here in the plus-money away win.

Pick: Dinamo Minsk to win (+110)

Pick 3:  FC Minsk vs Energetyk-BGU

Energetyk will be looking to bounce back after a humiliating 8-1 home defeat by Ruh Brest – the most outrageous result of the season so far! In a bizarre afternoon in Minsk, The Students had 50 percent of possession, had eight corners compared to Ruh’s one, had 11 shots compared to Ruh’s 13, and yet conceded eight in a truly bizarre 90 minutes.

A Minsk derby is, on paper, not the best way to follow such a disaster, but given their away form has been significantly better than when playing home, a short journey to another stadium in the capital may not be a bad thing. For FC, it’s the second derby in a week and one they’ll be looking to get something from given they are now six without a win and have slipped into the relegation zone. But with Energetyk still bruised from the events of last Sunday it’s a big ask for FC.

So, given I’m expecting a response from the Students, there’s value here in the away win.

Pick: Energetyk to win (+105)