Spartak Kostroma

vs

SKA Khabarovsk

Preview

Spartak Kostroma

• Spartak Kostroma have a chance to tighten their grip on promotion to the Russian Premier League when they face a visit from SKA Khabarovsk on Wednesday.
• The Black and Whites, who have 44 points from 28 games, are in the top half of the table while their visitors, with 35 points from 29 matches, languish in mid-lower midtable.
• Spartak are more settled and organised under the leadership of Andrey Ashikhmin, who took over in April.
• He has made them a compact, disciplined unit who use a midblock to stifle the opposition and a flexible, fluid system to cover the flanks and switch in transition.

SKA Khabarovsk

• SKA Khabarovsk are winless in five league matches with three defeats and two draws.
• Their visitors, with 35 points from 29 matches, languish in mid-lower midtable.

Head-to-Head

Key Players

• Egor Nazarenko scored in Spartak's 2-1 league win over SKA and he is a good pick to get on the scoresheet again this week.
• Hakobo Alkalde was a smart winter signing by SKA as he has added some bite to their front line, but it is Stepan Glotov who is their main outlet in the final third.
• Young striker Artur Garibyan can be a handful when he makes late runs onto the ball.
• Standout players:
  • Egor Nazarenko
  • Dmitry Sadov
  • Hakobo Alkalde
  • Stepan Glotov
  • Artur Garibyan

Betting Insights

• The home side are the favorites with the oddsmakers, but SKA’s long trip from the Russian Far East is always a factor to consider when backing them away.
• A 1-0 or 2-1 home win seems the most likely outcome with the odds on under 2.5 goals at 1.71 providing some security in case it finishes 1-1.

Prediction

• A 1-0 or 2-1 home win seems the most likely outcome.
• Spartak need the points more than SKA, who are in danger of sliding further down the table if they don’t end their winless run soon.
• But it is the home team who control the play and have the quality to get the job done.