Read our prediction for Istiqlol Dushanbe vs Kuktosh below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions. Use our betting tips for the match between Istiqlol Dushanbe vs Kuktosh and you can increase your winnings!
Istiqlol Dushanbe vs Kuktosh Prediction & Betting tips
Can you already speak of a top game in a league after three game days? If we look at the Tajik League, then this question can definitely be answered in the affirmative when the league primitive Istiqlol is involved. In the past seven years, Istiqlol Dushanbe has won six championship titles and six Tajik trophies.
Transferred to Germany, that’s almost Bavarian conditions. On Saturday, Vitali Levchenko’s team with Kuktosh received an opponent who had a good start to the new season, but who could not keep up with the capital club in almost all areas. Therefore, the roles in this match are clearly distributed.
In the still unreliable table of the Tajik League, Istiqlol is at the top of the classification after three matchdays with seven points, and that is expected. It is somewhat unexpected, however, that there was a loss of points against Khatlon. Kuktosh is still within range and currently has five counters on the account.
With a win, the outsider could overtake the leader on Saturday and become the leader. However, the best betting providers do not believe in an away win. Between Istiqlol and Kuktosh, the prognosis clearly goes in the direction of a victory for the series master.
If we look at the results, it could even be a bitter afternoon for Kuktosh, although the guests have had good results in the past few weeks and already at the end of last season. Perhaps that is why there are those who want to place a tip between the guests and Istiqlol and Kuktosh.
In general, however, it looks as if Istiqlol would only show another heel early on Saturday and be able to consolidate at the top of the Vysshaya League. The kick-off for the fourth matchday in the Tajik League between Istiqlol Dushanbe and Kuktosh at the Respublikanskiy Stadium will take place on April 25, 2020 at 13:00 p.m.
Istiqlol:
Istiqlol is not just the team to beat at the national level in Tajikistan. Valeri Levchenko’s team is also the international flagship of an entire football nation. However, this season the Tajik champions can only compete in the lower-class AFC Cup, in which the teams from China, South Korea, Japan or Australia do not participate.
However, the AFC Cup cannot be regarded as a model of no value for smaller football nations. However, the AFC Cup is currently interrupted and the family ties around the three cousins Iskander, Manuchekhr and Alisher Dzhailov are not allowed to demonstrate their skills against teams from Turkmenistan or Kyrgyzstan, but only have to deal with clubs from home.
That has worked very well in the past weeks and months, because in the past seven games Istiqlol has only suffered one defeat in qualifying for the AFC Champions League at Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. At the national level, Istiqlol Dushanbe is still unbeaten this season.
Last weekend, the team of Ukrainian coach Valeri Levchenko suffered a setback when it was only a 2-2 draw at home against Khatlon, which was also extremely fortunate, as the guests were already 1-0 and 2 : 1 in front. Manuchekhr Dzhailov was initially able to equalize to 1-1.
It was also the attacker who kept his nerve in the fifth minute of added time and was able to secure at least one point with a penalty to make it 2-2. Overall, this encounter has shown that Istiqlol is currently quite vulnerable. This means that the odds of a home win between Istiqlol and Kuktosh should not be completely without alternative.
Perhaps the loss of points, although against a team that was also well started, was a warning shot for the series champion. No major personnel changes are expected against Kuktosh, but Istiqlol Dushanbe’s attitude should show a different face that should be enough to defend the championship lead.
Kuktosh:
The FK Kuktosh Rudaki only plays in the Tajik Oberhaus for the third year and has almost established itself with good performances in the last two seasons. It should probably be a little early for the attack to the top, but on Saturday the Rakhmatullo Fuzailov team will have the opportunity to annoy the best team in the country.
However, the odds comparison of the betting base makes it clear that Kuktosh is more than a clear outsider on Saturday. This has often been the case this season, but this team doesn’t seem to be impressed by betting odds and roles. After all, Kuktosh has been undefeated for several months.
Not having lost in this new season is not the greatest art when playing three point games. The last defeat was in early October. Since then Kuktosh has not lost in six competitive games in a row. The duel against the reigning champions could not have been scheduled at a better time.
During the week, Kuktosh drew 1-1 at home with Khujand, a team that wants to play for the championship this season. Again, the odds before the kick-off spoke a clear language against the team of Rakhmatullo Fuzailov. In the 41st minute, however, it was Khikmatullo Rasulov who brought Kuktosh 1-0 forward.
You couldn’t keep that lead, but in the end the 1-1 draw was okay. The outsider role is likely to be even bigger on Saturday, although Kuktosh is still on the series champion on points. Nevertheless, the bookmakers before the game between Istiqlol and Kuktosh give a clear forecast of a home win.
So it will have to be seen whether the underdog is able to expand its series without defeat. There is currently no more difficult task to tackle in Tajik football. It could also play a role that Kuktosh only had a break of three days before the supposed top game compared to the opponent from the capital.
Istiqlol Dushanbe vs Kuktosh head to head matches
27.09.19 VL Kuktosh Istiqlol Dushanbe 1 : 6
17.08.19 VL Istiqlol Dushanbe Kuktosh 0 : 0
22.04.19 VL Kuktosh Istiqlol Dushanbe 2 : 2
18.09.18 VL Kuktosh Istiqlol Dushanbe 2 : 3
03.06.18 VL Kuktosh Istiqlol Dushanbe 0 : 2