Direct promotion to League B is on the line when Belarus and Albania fight it out for top spot on Sunday after both nations enjoyed 2-0 wins on matchday five of the UEFA Nations League (UNL).
Match News and Current Form
Belarus maintained their status as one of League C’s best defences when they recorded a fourth consecutive clean sheet in their 2-0 win over San Marino, securing their top-two spot and leaving them well placed to pursue the three points they need here to earn a League B debut. September’s 2-0 loss in Albania is the only thing that stands between them and what could have been an 11-game unbeaten run (W6, D4), with six clean sheets in their last ten matches once again underlining where their strengths are. Three of them were recorded across their various temporary home venues in Hungary, where they are now three games without defeat (W2, D1) after scoring five unanswered goals in this UNL.
As one of the five teams to drop down from League B to C for this edition, Albania were amongst the favourites to regain their place in Europe’s second tier. They’ve so far justified that tag and lead the way in Group C1 coming into this final round, meaning they simply need to avoid defeat here to secure their instant return to League B. A 2-0 victory against Finland on Thursday secured them the safety buffer of not needing to win to wrap up top spot, but with four clean sheet victories from their six prior games away from home, they ought to fancy their chances of securing promotion in style.
Head-to-Head History
Belarus’ last victory over Albania came back in 2010, with four of the five subsequent meetings going the way of Albania (D1) including all three in the UNL.
Hot Stats and Streaks
Only one of Belarus’ last 11 home games in Hungary saw both teams score.
Belarus kept a clean sheet in 13 of their last 17 wins.
Only five of Albania’s last 17 matches were decided by a 2+ goal margin.
Albania failed to score in eight of their last 11 defeats.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
There’s no stopping Belarus forward Artem Kontsevoy, who has netted eight goals in his last eight games for club or country and won every match in that period when scoring (W6). Rey Manaj already has 13 goals for Sivasspor or Albania this season and has won ten of his 12 goalscoring appearances for his country (D1, L1), including one against Belarus in 2020.
Belarus regain both Artem Shumansky and Herman Barkouski from one-game bans, while Albania appear close to full strength.
For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.
Betting Analysis
The high stakes of the match and sound defending of both teams make under 2.5 goals seem a tempting angle.
Author: Aaron Murphy