- Alashkert are unbeaten in their last 5, with 3 wins and 2 draws, and they come into the game on the back of a two-game winning streak.
- Elimai FC's record in their last 10 matches is 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats (all-competitions) - a mixed bag to be sure.
Clash of styles at Football Academy Stadium
Alashkert are in solid form coming into this game, winning 3 and drawing 2 of their last 5, while Elimai FC's form is more of a mixed bag with 3 wins from the last 5, but 2 defeats as well. An interesting clash of playing styles awaits these two on Thursday, with Alashkert coach Vahe Gevorgyan favouring a structured and compact approach to the game, while Andrey Karpovich's Elimai FC are a little more direct and forward-thinking.
The Armenian champions have won their last two games, a 3-1 home success over Gandzasar Kapan followed by a 2-0 home win against FC Shirak, a pair of results which should put them in the right mindset for this UEFA Conference League qualifier. They are the slight favourite at 2.05, with Elimai FC on the road at 3.07 and the draw at 3.38.
The visitors have taken 3 wins from their last 5, but they have also lost 2 and a sequence of 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats across their last 10 games hardly inspires confidence. Karpovich's team have scored 8 goals in their last 5, with Roman Murtazaev bagging 3 of those, but they are likely to be up against it in this game.
Hosts should have enough to edge it
Alashkert have a lot going for them here, including home advantage, recent momentum and an average of 1.60 goals for per game, against just 0.60 goals conceded, at home in all competitions. Elimai FC have won 2, drawn 2 and lost 1 of their 5 games on the road, scoring at the same rate as Alashkert.
This should be a cagey encounter and Elimai FC can really make life difficult for the hosts. Alashkert's structure and game control should allow them to keep the ball away from their goal and should frustrate Elimai's attacking players, but the visitors can't be discounted as a threat. We think Alashkert can nick this, but they may have to work for it, so under 2.5 goals at 1.74 looks the smart angle.
