The Round 2 match of the FONBET Russian Cup 2025/26 Regional Path between Avangard and Broke Boys will take place on August 21 at the Central Lenin Stadium in Orel. Avangard vs. Broke Boys: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Avangard
The finalist of the 2017/18 National Cup has recently been disappointing its fans. In the last five Russian Cup campaigns, the team from Kursk has only advanced past the second qualifying round once. Moreover, in the last three matches of this tournament, Avangard has not scored a single goal. Things are not going well for Igor Belyaev's side in the Second League either, where the club is at the bottom of the Silver division standings.
- The team has conceded at least two goals in 5 of their last 6 matches in the National Cup.
- The Kursk side has scored in 7 of their last 10 home games in this tournament.
- Avangard has opened the scoring in their last 5 home matches in the Russian Cup.
Predicted lineup for Avangard (4-5-1)
Egor Skorobogatko – Alexey Sukharev, Kirill Balashov, Viktor Kozyrev, Ilya Mamkin – Nikita Khvat, Alexander Nadolsky, Vladislav Ignatenko, Maxim Slobodchikov, Artem Nekrasov – Denis Beskorovainy.
Broke Boys
The team made it past the first round in their second Russian Cup appearance. In the last match, Dmitry Kuznetsov's side defeated Orel 3-2 at home. For the first time in this tournament, Broke Boys scored more than one goal, but it's worth noting that prior to this match, the club had conceded no more than one goal in the Russian Cup.
- Broke Boys have not lost in 5 of their last 6 matches in the Media League and Russian Cup (3 wins, 2 draws).
- The club has scored in 14 of their last 16 games in these tournaments.
Predicted lineup for Broke Boys (3-4-3)
Ivan Zirikov – Ilya Davydov, Sergey Kiryakov, Svyatoslav Muradov – Vladimir Lobkarev, Artem Abramyan, Denis Anisimov, Ilya Mazurov – Maxim Mairovich, Fyodor Smolov, Nikita Shershnev.
The team has been strengthened by the addition of forward Fyodor Smolov.
Referee
Evgeny Timofeev (Russia)
Matches – 15 (Second League and Russian Cup, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 53;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.5;
Red cards shown – 5;
Average fouls per match – 27;
Penalties – 13%.
Match Prediction: Avangard vs. Broke Boys
The media team has a good chance to advance to the third round of the National Cup for the first time. Broke Boys' opponent is not the strongest. Avangard is on a five-match winless streak in the Second League, and they couldn't keep a clean sheet even in the only match where they managed to pick up points. Moreover, the Kursk side has conceded the most goals in their group's standings. The club also lacks defensive reliability in the Russian Cup: they have conceded exactly two goals in 6 of their last 8 home games.
The media team has made significant squad improvements. Fyodor Smolov is unlikely to play the full match, but his presence is a major boost for a Second League level team. The forward should significantly enhance Broke Boys' attacking potential, as they scored three goals in their previous match. On the other hand, Dmitry Kuznetsov's side needs to focus on defense as well. The team has regularly conceded in the Media League, and their upcoming opponent has scored 11 times in their last 5 home matches in the National Cup.
I expect a high-scoring encounter. My prediction: Total over 2.5 goals
