Belshina Bobruisk vs. Smolevichi Odds, Prediction, and Pick – Belarusian Premier League, April 17

It’s a bottom-of-the-table clash as the only two sides without a single win this season go head to head in Bobruisk. Both clubs came up from the First League last year and are struggling to adapt to the top flight.

Belshina and Smolevichi did manage to pick up a point in the last round of fixtures, though, so this game is an excellent opportunity to break away from the bottom of the table.

Read all about my perspective in this Belshina Bobruisk vs. Smolevichi betting preview.

Even though neither side has won a game so far, leading bookmaker BetOnline is looking to Belshina to use its home field advantage to pick up the three points here. Goals have not been plentiful for either team, so a low-scoring draw might also be a bet to look out for at these odds.

Belshina may have a fairly successful history in the Belarusian Premier League, but times have changed, and this season looks to be a tough one for the Bobruisk club. The 1-1 draw with Neman last weekend was the first glimmer of hope, but there have only been two goals scored in four games now.

Veteran striker Leonid Kovel has both of those strikes, which says little for the number of new signings that Belshina made in the offseason in preparation for this year in the Premier League. Now is the time for others to step up, too.

Smolevichi will have had less grand aims this year, having only featured in one season of top-flight soccer before this year. Survival is the only real objective, but at the moment, even that is not looking like being achieved. The goalless draw with Shakhtyor Soligorsk on Sunday was a positive sign, though.

There has been one other draw — with Dynamo Brest on the opening day of the season — so manager Alexsandr Brazevich might feel that his team is just about doing what is required at the moment. All points will be crucial to Smolevichi, so expect a tight affair.

Goals have not exactly been forthcoming with these two sides in the opening rounds of games so far, so don’t expect a classic. Smolevichi, in particular, looks as though it is planning to frustrate opponents into submission this season as it attempts to stay up. This game is a great chance for either team to pull away from the bottom of the table, but I think that it is more likely to be a very low-scoring draw.