What to expect from the Belarus Premier League this week

Football continues in Belarus while most of Europe is on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here are the games to look forward to this week.

BATE's Borisov Arena where it will face Rukh Brest, which has kept clean sheets in five of its past six away league games, next.

Despite the rest of the world being gripped by coronavirus concerns, sporting life in Belarus is carrying on mostly as normal.

President Alexander Lukashenko declared sport "the best anti-virus remedy" after playing ice hockey last week and has urged his citizens to continue to live their lives.

His unorthodox measures have at least given football fans something to talk about, with the Premier League in Belarus continuing as normal, in stadia full of spectators.

Ahead of this weekend's round of games, we've picked over the Opta data to give you an idea of what to expect when the top teams in UEFA's 25th-best league take to the field in round three.

 

FRIDAY, APRIL 3:

Belshina v Gorodeya

- Belshina has won one of its past 17 Premier League games (D5 L11), scoring only 12 goals across those matches (0.7 per game).

- Gorodeya is the only team in the Premier League yet to score a goal this season, having lost its past four league games in a row.

Dinamo Minsk v Torpedo BelAZ

- Dinamo Minsk has shipped 14 goals in its past six Premier League games, conceding three or more in four of those (W1 L5).

- Torpedo BelAZ is one of two teams in the Premier League this season with a 100 per cent win record without conceding, along with Isloch. Both its wins have been by a 1-0 scoreline.

 

SATURDAY, APRIL 4:

Shakhtyor v Neman Grodno

- Shakhtyor has kept a clean sheet in 10 of its past 11 Premier League matches against Neman Grodno (W9 D1 L1), including each of the most recent four.

- Since losing 6-0 away at Shakhtyor in August 2019, Neman Grodno has only conceded 10 goals in 15 league games (0.7 per game on average).

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BATE v Rukh Brest

- BATE has lost consecutive league matches for the first time since November 2016 and has conceded more goals than any other team in the Belarus Premier League this season (5).

- Rukh Brest has kept clean sheets in five of its past six away league games (W5 D1).

Dinamo Brest v Slavia

- Dinamo Brest has lost just one of its past 34 league games (W25 D8), conceding only 23 goals at an average of just 0.7 per game.

- Slavia has lost four of its past five Premier League meetings with Dinamo Brest, shipping 13 goals across those matches (2.6 per game).

 

SUNDAY, APRIL 5:

Energetyk-BGU v Minsk

- Since the start of last season, Energetyk-BGU's Premier League games have seen 120 goals scored, 28 more than any other team's fixtures.

- Minsk has scored more goals than any other Premier League side this season, netting three in both of its victories so far (six in total).

Vitebsk v Smolevichy-STI

- Both teams have scored in just one of Vitebsk's past 12 Premier League games, a 2-1 win for BATE in November 2019.

- Smolevichy-STI is winless in 10 Premier League games (D4 L6), failing to score in five of those matches while conceding 16 goals.

Isloch v Slutsk

- After failing to keep a clean sheet in its final 13 league games of last season, Isloch has kept clean sheets in both matches this term, winning 1-0 in each.

- Slutsk has won its past three away Premier League fixtures against Isloch, winning by a one-goal margin in all three.