Van vs Urartu Prediction: The defending champions are favored

Van and Urartu will settle scores at the Charentsavan City Stadium on Monday. Van have only won once at this stadium against Urartu. Can they get the second? Previews, H2H, expert picks, and odds are provided below.

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In their last game, Van returned to winning ways with a 1-0 win over West Armenia. Christopher Boniface scored the game's only goal in the 8th minute, and West Armenia’s attempt at an equaliser proved fruitless after the VAR disallowed Sargis Metoyan’s 68th-minute goal due to a foul in the build-up to the goal. However, Ibrahim Yahaya was sent off in the 82nd minute for Van and will miss this clash. The win was the first in the last 11 games for Van.

Van sit 9th on the table with 30 points in 34 games, scoring 31 and conceding 66. They still have a chance to escape relegation with 6 points still up for grabs this season. They are just 2 points behind 8th-placed Shirak.

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Urartu returned to winning ways in their last game with a 6-1 win over Alashkert. Leon Sabua opened the scoring just 8 minutes into the game before Angulo Wbeymar got the equaliser for Alashkert in the 45+2nd minute. However, the second half was productive for Urartu as Arman Ghazaryan gave them back the lead in the 51st minute before Karen Melhonyan got a brace in the 65th and 80th minutes, putting Nikolai Prudnikov’s 66th-minute goal in the middle. Oleg Polyakov put the icing on Urartu's cake in the 90+5th minute to make the game 6-1. The win was the first for the defending champions in their last 7 games in all competitions. They sit 4th on the table with 48 points in 34 games, scoring 47 goals and conceding 47.

Both teams have met 15 times in their history. Van won 2, Urartu won 10, and 3 ended in draws. The most recent match between them ended in a 1-1 draw. Urartu are unbeaten in their last 6 games against Van. Van have only won once at this venue in their history against Urartu.

Both sides haven't been in their best form, but I don’t see Urartu losing this clash. They haven’t lost against Van in their last 6 games. However, both sides will find the net in this game. Van have scored in 4 of their last 5 games, and Urartu have scored in their previous 6 games against Van.

• Urartu Draw No Bet for 1.60 odds
• W2 for 2.00 odds
• BTTS for 1.70 odds