The Matchday 16 clash in the Russian Premier League between Orenburg and Baltika will take place on November 22 at the Gazovik Stadium. Orenburg vs. Baltika: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Orenburg
Orenburg suffered a 0-1 defeat away to Lokomotiv in the previous round, marking their sixth loss in the last eight league matches (1 win, 1 draw). The team has conceded in every match during this stretch. Moreover, Orenburg has failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 consecutive Premier League games. Notably, in the match against the Moscow side, the club achieved one of their best corner kick stats of the season with 9 (average 4.9). In the league standings, Ildar Akhmetzyanov's side occupies 14th place, three points clear of the relegation zone.
- The team has not scored more than one goal in 6 of their last 8 Premier League matches.
- At home, Orenburg has not won in 9 of their last 10 league matches (5 draws, 4 losses).
- In 6 of their last 7 home games in this tournament, the club has conceded exactly 1 or 2 goals.
Predicted lineup for Orenburg (4-5-1)
Bogdan Ovsyannikov – Danila Khotulev, Fahd Moufi, Henri Chichinadze, Danila Vedernikov – Dmitry Rybchinsky, Du Queiros, Irakli Kvekveskiri, Jordi Thompson, Gedeon Guzina – Emirjan Gyurlyuk.
Defenders Alexey Tataev, Emil Tsenov, and Georgy Zotov are injured. Head coach Ildar Akhmetzyanov is suspended.
Baltika
Baltika drew 1-1 at home with Krasnodar in the last round. The team's unbeaten run in the league has now reached five matches (3 wins, 2 draws), and the conceded goal was their first in this period. It's worth noting that Baltika equaled the record for points gained by a newcomer after the first round (28), trailing the leading Krasnodar by only five points. Additionally, Andrey Talalaev's side boasts the best record for clean sheets with nine.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 11 of Baltika's last 12 Premier League matches.
- The club has not lost in 7 of their last 8 away league matches (4 wins, 3 draws).
- In 4 of their last 5 away games in this tournament, Baltika has not conceded a single goal.
Predicted lineup for Baltika (3-5-2)
Maxim Borisko – Sergey Varatynov, Kevin Andrade, Alexander Filin – Mingiyan Beveev, Vladislav Saus, Ilya Petrov, Nikolai Titkov, Maxim Petrov – Brian Gil, Sergey Pryakhin.
Referee
Ivan Saraev (Russia)
Matches – 13 (Russian Premier League and First League, 2024/25 - 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 58;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.5;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 34;
Penalties – 31%.
Match Prediction: Orenburg vs. Baltika
In the first round, Baltika claimed a 3-2 victory. Such high-scoring games are uncharacteristic for Baltika, and Orenburg had a different coach then. In the upcoming match, we are unlikely to see a repeat of the goal fest, but Andrey Talalaev's side has a better chance of achieving a positive result once again.
Under Ildar Akhmetzyanov, Orenburg has become more reliable defensively. In four league matches under his guidance, the club has not conceded more than one goal, even against opponents like Spartak and Lokomotiv. However, Orenburg is still searching for their attacking form, and the match against Sochi, which has the worst defense in the league, can be considered an outlier.
Baltika ranks second in the current league standings for away match results. The team has not lost in 7 of 8 away matches (4 wins, 3 draws), keeping clean sheets in five games. Additionally, last season's head-to-head between the managers in the FNL ended in favor of Andrey Talalaev (1-0).
My prediction: Baltika not to lose and Total under 3.5 goals
