Kazakhstan – Belarus

Group favourite to beat Belarus at second attempt

The clear favorites and underdogs are now established after four rounds in Group 3 of the Nations League C. It is the will of the calendar that they will meet in the fifth round at the Astana Arena. Kazakhstan, which has never had serious contention in European football, could well reach League B, allowing them to play a full season with teams that approach the continent's top teams. Belarus, on the other hand, is the only team in the group that has yet to win, and given the need to play their final away matches, may not win again. In last year's World Cup qualifiers, Kazakhstan played in a tough group with three of the last European champions, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. That qualifier ended in last place, as expected, but at its level of opponents the national team opened up an entirely different picture. Already in March, Kazakhstan had clinched their place in League C in a penalty shoot-out against Moldova, and in June they proved themselves genuine favorites to win their quartet in the new League of Nations. In the first contest, Kazakhstan beat Azerbaijan 2-0, then played Slovakia for the first time, drew with Belarus and defeated the Slovaks again. Such results allowed Kazakhstan to top the group by four points over its nearest pursuer. Belarus had to start matches in the group at the Karadjordje Stadium in the Serbian city of Novi Sad. The national team played three so-called home games away from home because of the UEFA sanctions. They only managed two draws against Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Kondratyev's side suffered a 2-0 defeat in Baku, which served as a reminder of Belarus' poor away record, winning just about every six months. The Kazakhstani side now look more organized and determined than the opposing team. The fact that the visitors will be forced to play to win and open their backs will only make the task of Magomed Adiyev's team easier. Let's bet on Kazakhstan's victory.