Orenburg is a test for Spartak: 8 matches without defeat at home and top 3 RPL xG

Home team.

Orenburg is a pleasant opening of the 2022/23 season. The newcomer from the First League looks brighter than the rest of the teams that have risen in the RPL in recent years (with the possible exception of Krylia Sovetov).

Orenburg lost to Wings in the first round at home – 2:4. After that, Marcel Licka’s team earned a reputation as a home team. Orenburg went undefeated in the next eight home matches (7 wins and a draw) and scored 22 points. This is the fourth indicator in the Premier League. At the same time, the Orenburgers played 10 away games – and the situation is reversed there: only 6 points (2 wins and 8 losses) in 10 matches.

Home Orenburg is among the league leaders by almost all metrics:

• Orenburg averages 2.8 goals per match at home – second (away – 1.2 goals, eighth), concedes – 1.2 goals (sixth) and away – 2.9 goals (worst in the league)

• xG no penalties averaging 2.24 per match (again top 3 in the league), only 0.92 away (11th). For worse admissions: 10th in the league at home and 12th away;

• Shooting performance is also good: 21.3 per game (again second in the league) at home, 12.4 (ninth) away. But in terms of allowed shots, everything is pretty average – 12.7 per match in Orenburg (10th place) and 17 per match – away (12th place);

• everything is stable only in terms of possession (46-47%) and PPDA (pressing actions) – their Lichki team is stable (about 10.5 both at home and away) – this is the seventh place in the league.

Orenburg is a rather convenient opponent for Spartak. In the last two matches, the red-whites won with a difference of 7:2, including away matches. Spartak won twice in three matches in Orenburg and lost only once – 0:2 in May 2019, when Muscovites fought for entry into the Europa League.