Krasnodar showed real quality in their opening game away at Rubin even without key men like Spertsyan and Cordoba in the side. They grabbed a solid 3-1 win and looked sharp in attack while the visitors capitalised on a red card to push home their advantage. Uruguayan striker Boselli grabbed a goal and an assist and looks ready to step up as the main man this season after a slow start last term. The Bulls are already building momentum and that first victory gives them plenty of belief as they rebuild around new faces.
Team Form
Fakel started their campaign with a narrow home loss to the Makhachkala side and showed plenty of fight but lacked the cutting edge to turn effort into points. On their own patch they always look organised and full of desire yet against stronger sides they often run out of ideas once the opponent takes the lead. Krasnodar on the other hand remain a tough nut to crack at home with a long unbeaten run stretching back many months and only a handful of draws in that spell.
- Krasnodar unbeaten in 15 league and cup matches with just three draws
- Fakel have never beaten Krasnodar in the top flight but managed four draws
- Both teams missing key players but Krasnodar still look deeper in quality
Tactical Analysis
The visitors will need to sit deep and frustrate early on if they hope to snatch anything from this trip. Krasnodar like to dominate possession and press high so any quick goal from the hosts could open the floodgates. Fakel bring heart and work rate but they have not added much quality to the squad since promotion and that could show against a side that moves the ball quickly and creates chances from wide areas. Expect the home team to control the tempo once they settle and look for gaps behind a tiring defence.
Betting Proposal
With Krasnodar strong at home and Fakel struggling to score against better organised sides the smart play lies with the hosts covering the handicap. They should take charge after an early goal and keep the pressure on all game. The value sits with backing the home side to win by two goals or more at the offered price. Fora 1 (-1.5) at 1.93
