Slavia Mozyr will be looking to end their losing run when they take on Vitebsk at Vitebsky Central Sport Complex in the Belarusian Premier League on Sunday.
Mihail Martsinovich's side have lost back-to-back league games to drop down to 13th place in the 16-team division, three points adrift of fifth-placed opponents Vitebsk.
Match preview
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After narrowly avoiding relegation in 2019, the new campaign has started in a positive manner for Vitebsk thanks to a return of 10 points from the first 18 on offer.
The hosts have failed to win back-to-back games so far, however, and they were beaten 2-0 by Isloch last time out through goals either side of half time.
Slavia also fell to a 2-0 loss in their most recent outing, with that reverse at the hands of BATE coming in the domestic cup.
That makes it three losses in a row in all competitions for Martsinovich's men - something that they last experienced in September 2019.
Keeping out the opposition has proved to be Slavia's biggest issue this term, with their 10 goals against the joint-worst record in the division.
Since playing out a goalless draw with Rukh Brest on April 13, they have shipped a couple of goals against Isloch and three more at home to Minsk, both games ending in defeat.
Vitebsk, despite their position, have not exactly been free-scoring, however, finding the net just four times in their opening six matches.
In fact, all three of their victories have been by a 1-0 scoreline, a run that includes back-to-back home victories over Gorodeya and reigning champions Brest.
Sergey Yasinsky's charges are within three points of leaders Slutsk heading into the seventh round of matches and will see this as a chance to add another win to the board.
However, not since August 2018 have they managed to string together more than three home wins in a row, while Slavia have not lost successive away league games in more than a year.
Vitebsk league form: WLWDWL
Slavia league form: LWWDLL
Slavia form (all competitions): WWDLLL
Head To Head
Slavia were 2-0 winners when the sides last met in a November 2019 league clash, with Andrey Chukhley and Egor Potapov scoring in the final 12 minutes.
Taking all competitions into account, Vitebsk have won four, lost three and drawn two of the nine encounters since 2015.
We say: Vitebsk 1-0 Slavia
Vitebsk have won their last two home games by a 1-0 scoreline, while Slavia have already lost to Slutsk and Isloch on their travels this term, so we are backing the hosts to edge this one.
Daniel Lewis
