More options are listed in the expert's forecast below. A statistical assessment is not an investment recommendation. 18+
Listen
Salavat Yulaev returns to his court after an away series, which was completed with an unexpected victory over Metallurg. The team showed character and won back with a two-goal difference, although they had not been able to cope with the Admiral before. Ak Bars, on the contrary, is going through a difficult period. Kazan suffered two defeats in a row, and in the last meeting they lost to Tractor, again showing rather modest performance. Now the rivals will face a principled confrontation in which both sides will try to achieve victory. We analyze the current shape of the teams in our betting tip and choose the appropriate bid
Command Analysis
Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Ufa managed to present a real surprise in the previous meeting, beating Metallurg 5-4 on the road. Already in the first period, Viktor Kozlov's team found itself in a difficult position, losing 1:3. However, after the second break, the guests noticeably increased and gradually turned the tide of the game. Alexander Zharovsky and Vadim Shipachev restored equality, and shortly before the siren, Jack Rodwald led Salavat Yulaev ahead. However, it was not possible to keep the advantage. Magnitogorsk fought back, but the visitors were more accurate in the shootout thanks to Sheldon Rempal's decisive shot.
This victory became especially important after an unsuccessful match in Vladivostok, where Ufa lost to Admiral with a score of 0:2. Overall, the team's results remain unstable so far. We managed to beat Amur (4:3) and Neftekhimik (4:3), but there were also unpleasant defeats in between these successes. However, Zharovsky, Rempal and Rodwald play a significant role in the attack, as they are able to create dangerous moments even against strong opponents. The main questions arise regarding defense, as in the last few meetings Salavat Yulaev allowed opponents to score three or four goals.
Ak Bars Kazan
Kazan lost to Traktor in the last match with a score of 1:3. In Chelyabinsk, the guests had difficulty organizing attacks from the very beginning, and after two periods they lost by a two-goal margin. Only in the final twenty minutes Ravil Yakupov managed to close the gap, scoring his first goal in the KHL. However, Ak Bars failed to build on its success. In the end, Kazan replaced the goalkeeper with the sixth field hockey player, but the opponent took advantage of the situation and set the final score. Thus, the team was left without a victory again.
Before the trip to Chelyabinsk, Anvar Gatiyatulin's wards lost to Torpedo in shootouts (1:2), although they performed much more confidently in previous meetings. We managed to beat Dinamo Minsk 4-1 and Shanghai Dragons 3-2. However, the overall performance of the team remains low. In recent matches, Kazan players regularly lack activity near other people's gates, and individual successful actions by the leaders do not always allow them to rectify the situation. In addition, Ak Bars will have a second trip in a short period of time, which may further complicate the task.
The victory over Metallurg should significantly increase the confidence of Ufa residents. The team managed to turn the tide of a very difficult match and showed that they are capable of achieving results even against one of the strongest opponents of the championship. Salavat Yulaev has quite interesting players on offense, and returning to his court adds another advantage. Ak Bars looks less convincing now. Kazan players have a hard time scoring goals, especially when the opponent is active and doesn't allow them to leave their own zone.
At the same time, the principled nature of the confrontation will surely force both sides to act with maximum efficiency. The guests will try to improve after two consecutive defeats, but Ufa residents have more time to recover and prepare. If the hosts manage to avoid the mistakes that periodically occur in defense, they are quite capable of imposing their hockey on the opponent. We expect a tough encounter with a lot of fighting, in which Salavat Yulaev will have the advantage. If necessary, the hosts will be able to decide the outcome outside of regular time.
Our prediction is that Salavat Yulaev will win the match in 1.80 seconds.
Liontips
