Zeljeznicar take on the visitors Dinamo Minsk in the first leg of UEFA Conference League qualification round of 1/8-finals. The match will be played on Thursday, June 13th at Stadion Grbavica (Sarajevo).
Zeljeznicar have experienced a decline in their results in recent years. They used to be regular participants in qualifying cycles, but something has changed for the worse for the team, and Zeljeznicar no longer consistently qualifies for the top league in the country. The Bosnian league has not started this season yet, and teams from this country will start their qualification matches straight away after their break, so to speak. However, this factor will not be the determining one here. There are currently no clear reasons to actively believe in Zeljeznicar and dismiss the Minsk team. Therefore, I would rather disagree with the bookmakers who predict a defeat for the Minsk team.
As for Dynamo, things are relatively better in terms of qualifying for European club competitions. Last year, they eliminated Montenegrin side Decic but then lost to an Israeli team. Currently, the Minsk team even tops the national championship, and there is a good chance for the capital club to finally become champions this year. But even with their opponent in the starting round of European qualification, the Minsk team seems to have been fortunate. So, I wouldn't be quick to write them off here. The odds of over 3 on Dynamo appear to be excessive. They are capable of playing for a narrow victory like 1-0 or 2-1.
Let's say there is no clear favorite in this confrontation. The chances of the teams can be roughly estimated as 50-50. My choice would be X2. It is quite possible that the first match could end with a starting score of 0-0 on the scoreboard. And after a week, the teams will decide who will progress further in the tournament. For now, I have slightly more faith in the Minsk team.
Prediction for the match: Dinamo Minsk not to lose (X2).
