Belarus and Nicaragua Football Previews : Play-off time in Nicaragua

Last Updated : 25th April, 2020 By Steve A

VENUE

Various Venues in Belarus and Nicaragua

TIME

Sunday 26 April and Monday 27 April

See Stats

The Belarus Premier League continues with FC Slutsk hoping to maintain their lead at the top of the table. Meanwhile in Nicaragua, it's the first legs of the play-off semi-finals. Our preview looks at the top games being played.

Belarus Premier League

FC Slutsk v Belarus: Sunday April 26 - 12.00pm Kick-Off

FC Slutsk remained top of the Belarus Premier League games after Saturday's fixtures. They are ahead of BATE Borisov (who have played a game more), Zhodino and Vibetsk on goal difference. It's a tight table though with only two points covering the top 11 teams. Slutsk have ten points from their five league games and will be confident of another win when hosting bottom-of-the-table Belshina. They have only lost one league game this season, losing by the only goal of the game to defending champions Dinamo Brest. Slutsk are the joint top scorers in the table but have only one point from their last two home games.

Belshina won promotion last season but have just one point from their first five games, three of which have been at home. They failed to get a point from any of their first three games of the season but have drawn the last two. Not against strong opposition though and this is a lot tougher. Belshina only have one point and one goal from their two away games. Go for Slutz to get the win here and be ahead at both half and full time.

Torpedo Zhodino v Ruh Brest: Sunday April 26 - 2pm Kick Off

Torpedo Zhodino start this game in third place and are behind the leaders on goal difference. Their season got off to a great start with two straight wins and no goals conceded. A 2-0 loss at Dinamo Minsk followed but they bounced back right away with a 2-0 win over then league leaders Energetik. That win took saw them become the new table toppers but lost that when being held to a goalless draw at BATE Borisov. Their games have been low scoring ones though with only six goals in five games. Three of their last four home league games hae been won, so they will hope to get another three points from this game.

Ruh Brest are another of the promoted sides and the ones doing the best with the other two being the bottom pair in the table. They are only 13th (two above the relegation zone) but have a game in hand on several sides. Brest have earned seven points to date with wins over Dinamo Minsk and FC Minsk. This is their fourth away game of the season and only two goals have been scored in the first three. Zhodino can win this match but with under 2.5 goals scored.

Isloch Minsk v Vitebsk - Sunday April 26 - 4pm Kick Off

Isloch Minsk may be eighth in the table but they are only a point off the top of the table. Their good start to the season isn't a shock considering this is their sixth game and only one has been played away from home. They have already had three home victories this season with wins over Neman Grodno, Smolevichi and Slavia Mozyr. Two league games have been lost though, going down to league leaders FC Slutsk and Dinamo Brest. Only one of their last eight home league games has ended in defeat though.

Vibetsk struggled to avoid relegation last season but start Sunday in fourth, only behind the league leaders on goal difference. Three out of their five league games have been won this season but they are strongest at home. Three away games have produced a win, a defeat and a draw. This won't be easy for them and a home win is the prediction.

Nicaraguan Clausura Play-Off Semi-Final First Legs

Diriangen v Real Esteli: Sunday April 26 - 2am Kick Off

The semi-finals of the Clausura play-offs begin with the top four from the regular season, so the quarter finals were a bit of a waste of time. Diriangen finished third in the league but were only behind Real Esteli on goal difference. They beat Juventus Managua 1-0 in the quarter finals and that continued their strong home form. Ten games have been played on home soil and eight have been won and only one goal conceded in their last five. Only four home goals have been let in all season and when they hosted Real Esteli in March, they won 2-0.

Real Esteli ended the regular season unbeaten in their last four matches with two drawn. That included being held 0-0 at home by Diriangen. Their final two wins of the season came against Chinandega and Jalapa. Both of those sides had poor ends to their season. This is going to be a great game and the tip is for Diriangen to get a home victory.

Walter Ferretti v Managua FC - Monday April 27 - 2am Kick Off

The second semi-final sees the regular season winners face a tough trip to fourth placed Walter Ferretti. FC Managua ended the season seven points clear of the rest of the sides in the Belarus Premier League. Out of 18 league games, 13 were won with only two defeats. Each of their last four league matches were won and they ended the season on a 13-game unbeaten run. That includes a 1-0 away win at Walter Ferretti but away games haven't been seeing that many goals scored. Seven of their nine away games saw under 2.5 goals scored.

In contrast, Walter Ferretti have scored 19 goals in their last five home matches. They finished 12 points behind Managua in the regular season but ended with a run of four wins in a row before going to Managua and losing 1-0. Theybeat Jalapa 5-1 in the quarter final but they are in terrible form, so don't expect anything like that score in this game. Ferretti haven't played that well against the top sides and the tip here is for under 2.5 goals in the game.