PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936
- PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936 have a solid home record this season and are considered a tough nut to crack in the Parva liga, having won six, drawn four and lost just two of their 12 home games in the current campaign.
- Dusan Kosic’s side have failed to win their last three home matchups against CSKA 1948 however, two of which ended in 1-1 draws.
- The Plovdiv outfit have been pragmatic, disciplined and tactically flexible under Kosic, who has established a low-to-mid block with a compact defensive unit that looks to cover the entire pitch.
- Lokomotiv score an average of just one goal per game at home in the league this term and, in many ways, they are still a ‘work in progress’, relying on the defensive project to keep them in games.
CSKA 1948
- In contrast, CSKA 1948 are still an ever-changing jigsaw of talent, with Atanas Bornosuzov the latest manager to inherit a talented but malleable squad that can play any system or style from ultra-attacking and high-pressing to the more pragmatic and conservative.
- CSKA sit second in the table on 43 points from 23 games, while Lokomotiv are in sixth place on 34 from 22 games, so there is everything to play for in this game for both teams.
- With two wins and three defeats from their last five games, CSKA are in inconsistent form, but a reaction is expected to their 1-3 home defeat to Levski Sofia, which was followed by a 2-0 victory away at Slavia Sofia just one day later.
- CSKA can hurt teams with their wide, versatile players and rotation of forwards, but they are also vulnerable to the counter attack when over-committed.
Head-to-Head
CSKA 1948 have dominated the last two head-to-head matchups between the two teams, winning 4-0 at home five months ago.
Key Players
- Their central midfielders, in particular, are adept at picking out the right runs at the right time and they boast a couple of set-piece specialists in their ranks.
- CSKA can hurt teams with their wide, versatile players and rotation of forwards.
Betting Insights
- At 2.39, CSKA are a good enough play here to edge past Lokomotiv, who are a massive 3.0 to grab the win.
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Their form away from home has been better than their overall form, winning six and drawing two of their 11 away games this term in the Parva liga.
- 6 wins
- 2 draws
- 11 away games
- They score an average of 1.27 goals per game away from home and concede just 0.91 on average, so can win this game even if it is not a high-scoring affair.
- Under 2.5 goals looks like a solid play here at 1.61 for a game between two teams with conservative, albeit very different, tactics and playing styles.
Prediction
Lokomotiv have struggled to break the visitors down in their recent three-match winless home streak and it seems more likely that CSKA , with their extra firepower, can win a close game on Thursday.
