Prediction: Braga vs Dinamo Minsk

Turning their attention back to Europa Conference League qualifying action on Thursday night, Braga will welcome Dinamo Minsk to Portugal for their first-leg showdown.

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As for the visitors, suffering Europa League semi-final heartbreak back in May as they watched their historic charge come to an abrupt end following a 4-3 aggregate defeats against Freiburg, Braga certainly limped their way over the finishing line when signing off the 2025/26 campaign. However, despite winning just one of their final six appearances across all competitions last season, Carlos Vicens’ camp got proceedings underway in a routine fashion. Opening their Europa Conference League qualifying adventure with a dominant 5-0 aggregate victory against Serbian outfit Zeleznicar Pancevo, Braga will be looking to lay down another early European marker here. Handed what has been a golden opportunity over the next week, Thursday’s hosts have also suffered just a sole defeat in front of their own supporters so far this calendar year.

Finding the net in back-to-back showdowns against Zeleznicar Pancevo, Ricardo Horta will spearhead Braga’s charge in the final third. Completing a permanent switch from domestic foes Sporting Lisbon this summer, Diogo Travassos will feature here.

Fellow new recruit Bernardo will start between the sticks on Thursday night. Despite being set to turn 40 next month, veteran midfielder and former Wolves star Joao Moutinho will start in the middle of the park.

Dinamo Minsk

As for the visitors, missing out on the chance to recapture their domestic crown last season as they were eventually forced to settle for a silver medal finish among Belarus’ elite, Dinamo Minsk couldn’t have asked for a tougher examination here. Despite just about dragging themselves past Azerbaijan-based outfit Neftci Baku last week as they clung to a 4-3 aggregate win, Alyaksandr Shahoyka’s side face what is a monumental leap up in opposition on Thursday night. Pencilled in as a landslide underdog on foreign soil, Dinamo Minsk will also know the importance of finding some essential defence stability. In fact, the Whites have failed to register consecutive clean sheets across all competitions since the middle of April.

Appearing to have cemented his spot as Minsk’s number one choice, 21-year-old Ivan Shimakovich will start between the sticks on Thursday night. Bagging a first-leg brace against Neftci Baku on July 22nd, Karen Vardanyan will lead Shahoyka’s attack in the final third.

New recruit and former Slavia Mozyr defender Aleksey Ivanov will parter academy graduate Vladislav Kalinin at the heart of Minsk’s defence in Portugal.

Braga vs Dinamo Minsk Key Factors to Consider

• Thursday’s first-leg showdown in Portugal will be the first competitive meeting between Braga and Dinamo Minsk.
• Braga have suffered just a sole defeat in front of their own supporters so far this calendar year.
• Dinamo Minsk have failed to register back-to-back competitive clean sheets since the middle of April.
• Continuing on from their summer preparations, Braga have recorded a clean sheet in four of their previous five appearances.
• Minsk have failed to register more than a single strike in three of their last four Europa Conference League qualifying showdowns.

Breezing past Zeleznicar Pancevo last week following a routine 5-0 aggregate victory, Braga will simply be looking to lay down another empathic first-leg marker on Thursday night. Finding some recent defensive grit on either side of their summer preparations, the Portuguese outfit are rightfully installed as a landslide contender on home soil. Suffering just a sole defeat in front of their own supporters so far this calendar year, Vicens’ camp will be confident of running rampant in midweek. Although Dinamo Minsk might have shown plenty of mental resolve during their respective qualifying charge, Thursday’s guests couldn’t have asked for a tougher examination.

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