Shinnik Yaroslavl vs Ural Predictions

• Ural have failed to score in four of their last seven travelling matches.
• Ural have won just one of their last four away matches in the Russian Cup.
• Shinnik knocked out top-tier opposition in the previous round and are unbeaten in four cup matches at home.

Hosts no slouches at home in the cup

At their own level, Shinnik are doing OK, though they’re not thriving, as they sit a rather chunky ten points away from the coveted top four. As things stand, a crack at promotion appears as though it will be beyond them. Moreover, their recent home form is questionable. They’ve lost three of their last five at Khimki Arena and have kept a clean sheet in just one of those five. They’ve also won just two of their last six in front of a home crowd, conceding two or more in three of those six. Such form doesn’t exactly inspire confidence ahead of a match against top-flight opposition.

However, the hosts can draw on a cup match that took place at this venue less than three years ago. In the winter of 2017, Shinnik beat Wednesday’s visitors by three goals to nil. Things have of course changed since, but such a result should at least give the hosts a smidgen of confidence. What’s more, the hosts are without a cup defeat at this venue since 2016.

Away-day woes for visitors

Given that they’re going up against opposition from the division below, Ural will fancy themselves to do well, though they probably won’t draw too much confidence from their recent travelling efforts. Wednesday’s visitors have failed to win any of their last five away games, three of which they’ve lost. Last time out away from home, Ural were beaten by seven goals to one.

Ural have had issues scoring goals away from home of late. They notched in that heavy defeat away against Zenit but have now scored in just three of their last seven on the road. They recently failed to find the net away against a team that was knocked out by Wednesday’s hosts in the last round of this competition.

Second division side to surprise a few

As the early market suggests, Ural are fancied to win this match, though we shouldn’t assume that they’ll be comfortable, so much so that a punt on the hosts getting a positive result appeals. Not only did Shinnik beat Ural in the cup a few years ago (at this venue), but they performed well against top-level opposition in the previous round, drawing 0-0 against Sochi before winning on penalties. Ural recently lost away against Sochi in the league, while they’re only two points above the drop-zone in the Russian Premier League, which is likely to be their main concern. In contrast, the hosts are in a comfortable position in the second division, so much so that they have no pressing concerns in that sense and are thus free to focus solely on this fixture.