LiontipsBelarus vs Slovakia. Prediction and Betting Tips for 2021 IIHF World Championship (May 21, 2021).
Command Analysis
Belarus are considered one of the main outsiders in this Championship. Perhaps, the main goal of the national team is to maintain a place in the Top Division. By the way, in 2019, the team was relegated from the Top Division for the first time in a while, but they confidently defeated their opponents and came back.
With a little bit of luck, Mikhail Zakharov's charges can even compete for the fourth position in the table, but they need to play without any mistakes. In the friendlies, Belarusians did not look confident and often lost. In the previous two games, earlier this month, they lost to Germany and Kazakhstan with the same score - 0:2.
Slovakia, unlike their opponent, clearly aim to advance to the playoffs and won't settle for anything less. This time they even have a New Jersey player in their squad - Marián Studenič. In the friendlies, the Slovakian team showed a really good performance.
Slovakia easily defeated Germany and Austria, but in the games against the Czech Republic lost in an equal fight with a score of 0:2 and then 1:2. At the World Championship, Slovaks often face Belarusians and almost always win. Last time, in 2018, they crushed their opponent with a score of 7:4.
Trends
Ставка1st period: total under 1.5
In two games of Slovakia, less than two goals were scored in the first period.
СтавкаSlovakia IT more than 2.5
In two out of three games against Belarus, the Slovaks have scored more than two goals.
Tip and bets
In our opinion, this year the Slovakian team looks stronger than Belarus. Craig Ramsey's men set themselves the goal of reaching the playoffs, so they definitely do not plan to lose points in the game against the Belarusians. The national teams have met more than once at the World Championships, and the Slovaks most often came out the winner.
Our prediction is Slovakia to win
Belarus have never been particularly disciplined in defense. Considering that the previous games between these national teams turned out to be high-scoring, we suggest betting on a high score in this one, too.
The second bet - total over 4.5 goals
