Braga have been a cut above in the early qualifying rounds, posting two clean sheets and scoring five goals without reply, with their 4-0 home dismantling of the previous opposition underlining the gulf in class. Dinamo Minsk showed resilience to win twice on their travels, but…
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Sign inSC Braga welcome Dinamo Minsk to their Estádio Municipal de Braga home on Thursday, August 6, for the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round tie. The Portuguese side, regulars on the European stage, begin their latest continental campaign against a Dinamo Minsk outfit that navigated a tricky second-round hurdle.
Braga are expected to field a near full-strength side. Head coach Carlos Carvalhal has no fresh injury concerns, meaning captain and talisman Ricardo Horta should lead the attack alongside Abel Ruiz. The midfield engine of Al Musrati and André Horta will be crucial for controlling the tempo. Dinamo Minsk, meanwhile, travelled to Portugal after their second-round exploits against Neftchi Baku and appear to have a clean bill of health. Forward Ivan Bakhar, who netted in the previous round, is set to spearhead the visitors’ counter-attacking threat.
Braga have turned the Estádio Municipal into a fortress in early qualifying rounds. The Portuguese outfit have lost only one of their last 12 home qualifiers across all European competitions, often overwhelming opponents with their high-tempo, possession-based game. Last season they reached the Conference League knockout phase, and the 2023-24 campaign saw them advance to the quarter-finals. Carvalhal’s men will expect to take a commanding lead back to the away leg.
Dinamo Minsk overcame Neftchi Baku in the second qualifying round, playing their home leg at Stadion Beroe in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, due to the ongoing situation in Belarus. The Belarusian side showed resilience, bouncing back from a narrow defeat to secure aggregate progress. Their recent form has been mixed – one win and one loss in their last two outings – but they carry a threat on the break, particularly through Bakhar and the experienced Artem Bykov in midfield.
The tie is likely to be decided by Braga’s ability to break down a well-drilled Dinamo backline. Ricardo Horta’s movement between the lines and his eye for goal make him the obvious danger man. Dinamo’s centre-back pairing of Sergei Politevich and Maksim Shvetsov will need to be faultless, while goalkeeper Denis Shpakovski could be in for a busy evening. If Braga can establish an early rhythm, the visitors may struggle to contain the waves of pressure.
A strong first-leg result is imperative for Braga, who travel to the neutral venue in Bulgaria for the return fixture on August 13. A place in the play-off round – and a step closer to the group stage – awaits the winner of this two-legged contest.
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11SC Braga
Coach: Carlos Vicens
Dinamo Minsk
Coach: Aleksandr Shagoyko
