Lokomotiv Sofia vs Vidma-Rakovski
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Today’s secondary featured game is between Lokomotiv Sofia and Vidma-Rakovski. The hosts are a sleeping giant in Bulgaria and with their ever-suffering finances it’s hard to see that changing in the near future.
Still, the continual stream of players being sold seems to have gelled the side. I suppose you could make a case for a side being forged from hard work and the backs-to-the-wall mentality and that’s where Loko are right now. They were really good in their home game with a strong Lokomotiv Plovdiv side (although the visitors in that game were notoriously poor travellers) and they gave Beroe a tough game too. Although not possessing the likes of Asamoah or Kamburov that they had a couple of years ago, they have brought in a couple of very good players in the form of veteran striker Manchev and Bosnian attacker Mesic, both of which are very experienced and capable players. Their kind of composure is very useful for a side with little to offer in the final third and it does give Loko a surprisingly dangerous attack, in my view. There are a lot of new players that have to gel here and it’s definitely a work in progress but I like Loko at the moment.
Helpfully, they’re facing one of the worst sides in the A PFG – Vidma-Rakovski. The visitors have already lost eight out of nine on the road this season and have conceded more goals than any other side whilst doing so, averaging conceding over two goals per away game. Even rock-bottom Svetkavitsa have conceded less away from home than Rakovski have! Rakovski average scoring a goal per every three away games and are frankly just a terrible side, in my view. They picked up where they left off over the winter break by being beaten 3-0 at Litex Lovech before crumbling to a 0-5 defeat against moneybags Ludogorets recently. Hard games, admittedly, but Rakovski just aren’t good enough and it shows. Those two games will have knocked any morale that their manager gave them prior to the second-half of the season and looking at their squad you have to wonder where the goals will come from. Lots of youngsters, no real leader, and not much ability.
If Loko want it enough, they’ll win this one easily. They’ve played well lately and with enthusiasm too so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt by taking them to beat the -1.5 handicap at evens.
Verdict: Lokomotiv Sofia to beat the -1.5 handicap at evens.
Friday’s Picks
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
Argentinian Primera Division:
Atletico Lanus vs Argentinos Juniors (5) 0-0
All Boys vs Godoy Cruz de Mendoza (5) 2-1
Australian A-League:
Melbourne Victory vs Wellington Phoenix (5) 1-1
Austrian Liga 1:
St.Polten vs SCR Altach (5) both sides to score
Grodig vs First Vienna (5) over 2.5 goals
Lustenau vs Blau-Weiss Linz (5) over 2.5 goals
LASK Linz vs Hartberg (8) over 2.5 goals
WAC/St.Andra vs Austria Lustenau (6)
Bulgarian A PFG:
Lokomotiv Sofia vs Vidma-Rakovski (8) 2-0
Chilean Primera Division:
Santiago Wanderers vs Union San Felipe (6) 2-1
Colombian Primera A:
Atletico Junior Barranquilla vs Boyaca Chico (7) under 2.5 goals
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Sparta Prague vs Banik Ostrava (7) 1-0
Ecuadorian Primera A:
Deportivo Quito vs LDU Loja (8) 2-0
German Bundesliga:
Hoffenheim vs VfB Stuttgart (5) 1-2
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
Ujpest vs Kaposvari Rakoczi (7) 2-0
Irish Premier League:
Cork City vs Shamrock Rovers (6) 1-1
Drogheda United vs Dundalk (7) 1-2
St.Patrick’s Athletic vs Monaghan United (7) 1-0
UCD vs Bray Wanderers (6) 1-1
Sligo Rovers vs Bohemians (5) 2-1
Shelbourne vs Derry City (7) 0-1
Mexican Primera Division:
Estudiantes Tecos vs Morelia (6) 0-0
Dutch Eredivisie:
Vitesse Arnhem vs Heracles Almelo (7) 2-1
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Zaglebie Lubin vs Widzew Lodz (6) 2-1
Legia Warsaw vs Polonia Warsaw (7) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
CD Nacional de Madeira vs Porto (4) 1-1
SL Benfica vs Beira-Mar (8) 2-0
Romanian Liga:
Concordia Chiajna vs Rapid Bucharest (6) 0-1
Mioveni vs Targu Mures (5) 0-0
Russian Premier League:
Dinamo Moscow vs Zenit St.Petersburg (6) 0-0
Singaporean S-League:
Armed Forces vs Young Lions (8) 2-0
DPMM FC vs Geylang United (7) 2-0
Slovakian Corgon Liga:
Senica vs Kosice (8) 2-1
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Villarreal II vs Cordoba (5)
Turkish Super Lig:
Genclerbirligi vs Trabzonspor (6) 1-1
Ukrainian Premier League:
Zorya Lugansk vs Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (6) 2-1
Welsh Premier League:
Aberystwyth Town vs Afan Lido (5) 1-1
Prestatyn Town vs Bangor City (4) 2-2
Enjoy your free betting tips!