Obolon'-Brovar vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction

Right then, let's have a proper look at this one. It's top of the table Shakhtar travelling to face Obolon'-Brovar who're sitting in 11th spot, and on paper, this looks about as one-sided as they come.

First things first, let's talk about the head-to-head record. Shakhtar have played Obolon'-Brovar seven times and won every single match. Not just won, but kept clean sheets in all seven. The lads from Kyiv haven't even managed a single goal against Shakhtar - that's some serious domination right there. Recent meetings have seen scores like 0-2, 0-4, 0-3, and even a 0-5 thumping.

Looking at current form, Shakhtar are flying high at the top of the league with 27 points from 12 games. They've been banging in the goals lately - seven against SK Poltava, three against Dynamo Kyiv, four against Kudrivka. They're averaging 2.6 goals per game over their last ten matches, which is proper tasty stuff.

Obolon'-Brovar, on the other hand, are having a right old time of it. They've managed just two wins in their last ten games and are scoring a measly 0.8 goals per game. At home, it's even worse - they haven't won any of their last four home matches and are conceding 2.25 goals per game on their own patch. They recently got hammered 0-4 at home by Polessya, which tells you everything you need to know about their defensive frailties.

The stats paint a pretty clear picture here. Shakhtar are scoring for fun, Obolon'-Brovar can't buy a goal at home, and the head-to-head record is completely one-sided. Shakhtar have kept clean sheets in 40% of their recent games, while Obolon'-Brovar have only managed one clean sheet in their last ten matches.

Now, I know what you're thinking - the odds for a Shakhtar win are short at 1.35, and you're not wrong there. But sometimes the best value isn't in the obvious market. Given that Obolon'-Brovar have never scored against Shakhtar in seven attempts, and they're struggling to hit the back of the net generally, I reckon there's better value in Both Teams to Score No at 1.53.

The goal expectancy suggests around three goals in this match, but I'd be surprised if Obolon'-Brovar contribute to that tally. Shakhtar should have enough quality to score a couple themselves, but keeping a clean sheet against this Obolon'-Brovar attack looks very achievable indeed.