Back
Peter Green - August 5, 2019
FC Krasnodar vs FC Porto
Champions League Qualification
Date: Wednesday, 7 August 2019
Kick-off at 18:00 UK/ 19:00 CET
Venue: Krasnodar Stadium (Krasnodar).
Krasnodar missed out on a direct-qualification berth to the Champions League by the tiniest of margins. They had finished level on points with Lokomotiv and had to settle for the third spot. At present, they have built some form and hopes the home advantage would put them in the driving seat.
Opponents Porto had led throughout the league season at the top, only to concede the spot to Benfica. The heartbreak had double the impact, as it robbed them of a chance to get placed in the CL Group Stage.
Now, they are pitted against a squad with similar sorrow, to battle it out for a place in the competition.
The defense has been one of the hallmarks of the Porto gameplay for the past seasons. Last campaign, they had conceded just 20 goals from their 34 fixtures in the Primeira Liga. The Russians too share an affinity towards a strong backline and had returned the best defensive stats in their league.
The experience that Porto has gathered from the superior Portuguese League will surely benefit them, and so will the nail-biting title race they had with Benfica. Moreover, the feeling of hurt that they missed out on a direct-ticket will motivate them even more.
Their exemplary defense put the scales in their favor. They had let in just 20 goals in their last league tournament, while none of the others managed to keep it below 30. As such, we can count on them to keep their nets clean for the first 45 minutes.
Hosts Krasnodar has not had the best of starts to their season. They were winless in four of their last six matches and lost three in a row in this stretch. At home, they lost two of their last three and conceded twice or more in both. Against the superior Portuguese outfit, who’s unbeaten in nine of their last ten fixtures, the home team does not stand much chance.
