Orenburg - Spartak Moscow predictions and free betting tips [29/11/2023]

The opening match of the PFL Cup Russia 1/4 final between Moscow's Spartak and FC Orenburg. The teams have had variable performances in the Russian Championship, securing spots in different halves of the Mir-PFL league table. Spartak is battling for medals, situated firmly in the 4th position, whilst Orenburg is in a tough battle for survival.

Spartak (Moscow)

Spartak Moscow got off to a promising start in the 2023-2024 season with many pundits considering the red-and-whites as favourites for the title. They put in splendid performances for five consecutive rounds, but after a loss to Ural, their results took a significant downturn. Consistency seemed to be a thing of the past, with Spartak performing well in the derby against CSKA, but then losing away games against Voronezh's Fakel and Krylia Sovetov with an aggregated score of 6:0. To their credit, Spartak has gone unbeaten in their last three fixtures, defeating Baltika and Rostov, with the only stalemate against Lokomotiv. In the PRL Cup group stage, Spartak reigned supreme in their group, securing the top spot after four rounds, leaving behind Pari NN, Moscow Dynamo, and Krasnodar.

FC Orenburg

Orenburg, in its second consecutive season at the Mir-PFL level, is struggling in comparison to its earlier success. Marcel Licka was the previous standout of Orenburg, but he moved on to lead Moscow Dynamo. Jiří Jarošík became the new manager but couldn't hold on for long, citing personal issues, and left the club while it occupied a lower table spot, staring relegation in the face. After suffering a 6:0 thrashing by CSKA in the Russia Cup, David Deogracia took over and managed to stabilise the situation somewhat. Still, the state of affairs at Orenburg remains bleak. However, in the PFL Cup, Orenburg secured the second spot in Group A, edging out Sochi and Fakel, with only CSKA performing better. In their last seven matches, Orenburg recorded just one point, which is definitely a psychological blow.

Head-to-Head

Spartak and Orenburg have met in 10 official matches. Spartak has claimed six victories, while Orenburg has come out on top three times. One match ended in a stalemate.

Prediction

Spartak should secure the victory. They've shown more consistency in recent matches, going unbeaten in the last three. On the flip side, Orenburg hasn't claimed victory since the 4th of October, displaying less than prolific football. Orenburg has failed to score more than one goal in seven consecutive matches.