Hearts kick-start their Conference League campaign against Dinamo Minsk on Thursday.
Best betting tips for Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts
Dinamo Minsk to win – 12/5 with SBK
Under 2.5 goals – 4/6 with SBK
Trofim Melnichenko to score any time – 7/2 with SBK
Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts top offer
Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts odds
Find the latest match odds for Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed football bookmakers. Odds are subject to change.
Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts predictions
Since winning promotion from the Scottish Championship in 2020/21, Heart of Midlothian have reestablished themselves as arguably the best of the rest outside Celtic and Rangers.
Immediately after returning to the Premiership, Hearts finished third. They dropped down to fourth the following year, but were back up to third last term.
They also reached the semi-finals of both the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup, losing both ties to Rangers.
Perhaps the only disappointment was a failure to make it into the group stage of the Conference League. Hearts beat Rosenborg across two legs in the third qualifying round, before losing 6-1 on aggregate to PAOK in the play-off round.
They were also beaten in a play-off this season, going down to 1-0 defeats home and away by Viktoria Plzen. But since that was a Europa League play-off, a loss meant Hearts dropped down into the Conference League.
That means the Edinburgh outfit are back in continental competition proper for only the second time since 2006/07.
However, there has not been much else to cheer at the start of the season. Hearts have had a dismal start to 2024/25 and head into this game with their confidence on the floor.
Indeed, they currently occupy last place in the Premiership having taken only two points from the first 21 available. Hearts also lost to second-tier Falkirk in the League Cup, exiting in the second round.
Steven Naismith was sacked the weekend before last, leaving Liam Fox as the interim manager at Tynecastle Park. Arnar Gunnlaugsson, Stephen Robinson, Alex Neil and John McGlynn are some of the names who have been mentioned in connection with the full-time job.
Hearts are in desperate need of a pick-me-up and they will hope that this game against Dinamo Minsk provides it.
The club’s summer recruitment has come under fire, but there have been numerous on-field problems too. Hearts have given up several goals from set-pieces and have struggled to create chances at the other end.
Needless to say, a huge improvement is needed if they are to salvage their season.
Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts betting tips. 18+ GambleAware.org – Please play responsibly.
Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts betting tips
Dinamo Minsk take on Hearts in the first round of fixtures in the 2024/25 Conference League.
Dinamo Minsk to win
Despite their disastrous results so far this season, Hearts are the favourites to win Thursday’s game. That makes a Dinamo Minsk victory look like fantastic value for money.
Neither team has home advantage. UEFA have banned Dinamo from staging matches in Belarus as part of their ongoing sanctions against that country. Thursday’s game will therefore take place in Sumqayit in the east of Azerbaijan.
That represents quite the trip for Hearts, who have lost all six of their away games up to now.
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Fox’s team at least managed to stop the rot to an extent at the weekend, drawing 1-1 with Ross County.
But Dinamo are going strong domestically with four wins in their last five games, while they were no pushovers in a Europa League play-off defeat by Anderlecht.
Hearts’ wait for a first win of 2024/25 is likely to extend beyond their trip to Azerbaijan.
Choose Dinamo Minsk to win at 12/5 with SBK
Under 2.5 goals
This is one of the Conference League games scheduled for a 5.45pm kick-off, but anyone hoping for an entertaining, end-to-end encounter should probably look elsewhere.
Given how defensively frail Hearts were under Naismith, they look set to go back to basics under Fox. That means an emphasis on keeping things tight at the back, particularly away from home.
Hearts could turn in a backs-to-the-wall display in this one. Although we do not think that will be enough to avoid defeat, they could succeed in keeping the score down.
In our view, an attritional affair awaits as these two teams prepare to face off for the first time ever.
Tip under 2.5 goals at 4/6 with SBK
Trofim Melnichenko to score any time
Shankland will be Hearts’ chief goal threat on Thursday, as he always is.
His equaliser against Ross County was his first strike of the campaign having made the net bulge 31 times across all competitions in 2023/24.
But at the odds available, we like the look of a Dinamo Minsk player: Trofim Melnichenko, an 18-year-old attacker who made his debut for the senior Belarus side last month.
Because of his age, Melnichenko has not started week in, week out for Dinamo throughout the 2024 Belarusian Premier League season, which started in March.
But he has looked a threat when he has played and it could be worth a punt on him breaching the Hearts backline on matchday one of the Conference League.
Back Trofim Melnichenko to score any time at 7/2 with SBK
How to watch Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts
Location: Mehdi Huseynzade Sumgait City Stadium, Sumqayit, Azerbaijan.
Date and time: Thursday 3rd October, 5.45pm.
How to watch: TNT Sports 3.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
Premier League winner predictions
Premier League top 4 finish odds
Premier League relegation odds
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About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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