Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs. Vitebsk – Belarusian Premier League, September 12, 2020

Every game is crucial for Shakhtyor now as it looks to add another league title to its solitary triumph back in 2005. Tied with BATE on points at the top of the table, this is no time for complacency.

This Saturday sees Vitebsk travel to the Stroitel Stadium and it will be interesting to see how much of a fight the mid table club puts up with little on the line.

Shakhtyor would probably be odds on favorite to win any game at the moment – with the only exception being a clash of the titans with BATE. It has been arguably the best team in the league and it seems unlikely that Vitebsk will be the team to break down its stubborn defense.

With the disappointment of a Europa League exit at the hands of Moldovan club Sfintul behind it, Shakhtyor can now concentrate on staying at the top of the Belarusian Premier League and ensuring that BATE doesn’t add to its long list of honors this season.

After dominating since the early weeks of the season, Shakhtyor slipped up away at Isloch – and that surprising 4-2 loss has allowed BATE a chance of winning the league instead. It is just two goals that separate the clubs at the moment and the upcoming game between the two looks like being a title decider.

That’s partly because I don’t think this shot-shy Vitebsk will trouble Shakhtyor on Saturday. The visiting team does actually have a fairly strong defense of its own, but the attackers don’t really help out enough – and that should mean that Shakhtyor will be able to pick up another three points.

Alongside Rukh Brest, Vitebsk is the draw specialist in Belarus but the home side is not likely to give it a chance of taking anything away from this fixture. There was a morale-boosting victory against lower league opposition last time out but there won’t be a repeat of that result in Soligorsk.

The odds are not that attractive for the home win but I don’t think Vitebsk will even look like troubling Shakhtyor on Saturday. A draw would be a great result for Vitebsk and it would be more likely that the players concentrate on not losing rather than anything else. But I still don’t think they will be successful in that aim.