Isloch vs. BATE Borisov – Belarusian Premier League, October 18, 2020

This could be the last chance for Isloch to break into the top three, as another defeat could mean the gap between the European places and the chasing pack becomes too large to bridge.

But BATE will not want to give up any more points after fighting its way back to the top of the Belarusian Premier League.

The MyBookie odds are against Isloch pulling off a win this Sunday but the game between these two earlier in the season only just ended in a narrow BATE victory – and the Minsk club is the form team in the Belarusian Premier League if anything. It might be worth looking at the other options as well.

Isloch has gone from a side that seemed quite happy drifting around the middle of the table, to one that could push into the top three with a little luck. There have been six wins in the last seven league games – and two cup victories in that time as well. The draw with Energetik-BGU in its last league game was the first time it had dropped points since the middle of July.

Isloch is sometimes forgotten when it comes to Minsk soccer clubs but there have been some very good performances this season that completely justifies its position in the league. The 4-2 win against Shakhtyor Soligorsk would probably be the highlight of the last few months and BATE needs to be well prepared on Sunday to stop another upset.

It had looked as though BATE has timed its run to the top of the league to perfection. But the defeat at the hands of Dynamo Brest last time out has suddenly given Neman and Shakhtyor another chance – and given hope to clubs like Isloch that they can get something from a game with BATE.

There may have been some concentration lost as the Europa League season got underway. But now that is over for another year, BATE can focus all its energy on making sure that it isn’t beaten to the title again. Dynamo Brest is not in the running this year but there are few sides just waiting for the league leaders to slip up again.

Although the bookies don’t seem to agree with me I think that there may be a few more twists and turns in what has already been a Belarusian Premier League season like no other. Isloch is in really good form at the moment and I feel that there is a chance of a draw here. And that’s something that would shake up the top of the league once again.