Din. Minsk vs Hearts prediction: EUROPE: Conference League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-02 16:45.
[p]Flying high in the Vysshaya Liga after conceding only nine goals in 20 domestic league games so far this season, in-form Dinamo Minsk take on Hearts in the UEFA Conference League in Azerbaijan. Once again, the Belarusians will be playing behind closed doors but defender Alyaksandr Sachywka sees that as more of an issue for their opponents, saying “we are used to playing without fans”.[/p]
[p]This will be Dinamo Minsk’s third European competition of the campaign after failing to get beyond the second qualifying round of the Champions League and then dropping out of the Europa League at the play-off stage. On top of that, they don’t have much of a record in the Conference League to speak of either, falling in the second qualifying round in 2022/23 and one round earlier last season! [/p]
[p]Hearts also dropped into this tournament from the Europa League play-offs, the same stage that they exited this competition last August, and they’ll now embark on their second appearance in the main draw of the Conference League having exited at the groups in 2022/23. This fixture sees them take on a more than 8000 km round trip, although their final two away games are much closer and will see them cheered on by fans in Bruges and Copenhagen.[/p]
[p]Bottom of the Scottish Premiership and without a permanent manager after Steven Naismith was sacked last week after leading his side to eight successive defeats, Hearts will at least make this long journey to Azerbaijan with spirits slightly lifted after they drew at home with Ross County on Saturday thanks to a 96th minute equaliser. With a record of six straight away defeats and no win on the road since early April (D2, L7) to still contend with, that feel-good moment from Tynecastle Park may not be enough to help them here! [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Dinamo Minsk have scored in four of their eight European games so far this season, with striker Steven Alfred one of the players to find the net, – he was also on the scoresheet in a 2-0 win over city rivals FC Minsk last Tuesday. Lawrence Shankland scored Hearts’ equaliser on Saturday, and he also scored three of his side’s five goals in their Conference League qualifiers last season.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Just one of Dinamo Minsk’s eight European matches this season produced more than two total goals.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Tom Penn[/i][/p]