With the Belarus League being the only professional football league still being played in Europe, it is now receiving unprecedented attention, and there are plenty of experts crawling out of the wood work !
With too much idle time on my hands, I too, have been taking a look at what is on offer, and have watched several matches on the live streams on Bet365.com, as well as some of the highlights on Youtube.
Although Belavia are still flying four times a week from Gatwick to Minsk, the 14 day quarantine rule for visitors to Belarus means it will again be live streams for a football fix this weekend.
Anyway, here are some thoughts and predictions for this week’s matches in Belarus…….
Belshina Bobruisk vs FK Gorodeya ( Friday 15.00 UK time )
The week-end starts with a match-up with the bottom two after the first two matches, with zero points and one goal between them. Gorodeya were particularly awful in losing 0-2 at home to Shakhtyor Soligorsk, and it could have been a cricket score but for some abysmal finishing. A week earlier they showed very little when losing 0-1 at Vitebsk and playing against 10 men for over 45 minutes.
Newly promoted Belshina were actually leading at half-time at home to FK Minsk in the season’s opener before succumbing 1-3, a harsh score line on the balance of play, and they made things difficult for Torpedo Zhodino before losing to a very scrappy goal.
I’m going for a 1-0 home win, with perhaps veteran ex-international forward Leonid Kovel on the scoresheet.
Result : 0-1. Financially struggling Gorodeya won a tepid match with a
curling left footed free-kick mid-way through the second half, their only shot
on target. Belshina had nearly all the possession but lacked the guile to
breakdown a stubborn defence, despite laying siege on the Gorodeya goal in the
last 5 minutes, forcing 4 corners, hitting the post, and have two half-hearted
penalty appeals turned down.
Traditional giants, by Belarus standards anyway, Dinamo have had a shocking start to the season, losing 0-1 at home to newly promoted Rukh Brest, before losing the Minsk derby with FK. Being 0-3 at half-time, down to 10 men in the second half and totally outplayed, they did well to come back to only lose 2-3. Perhaps they were missing the unfortunately named 66 times capped right-back Igor Shitov ?
The Minsk Derby was broadcast live across 10 countries as the TV rights for Belarus football start to be snapped in countries such as Israel and India, as well as Russia and the Ukraine, and the President of Dinamo has been quoted as saying he hopes such TV exposure will give his players a kick-up the backside so they will start winning. This won’t be easy against a Torpedo side that has ground out two 1-0 wins, including one at highly fancied Shakhtyor Soligorsk. Also, last year’s fixture was won 3-0 by Torpedo.
In a game likely to be settled by a single goal ( if any ), I’ll go for Dinamo to register their first win.
Result : 2-0. Dinamo’s energetic, high tempo first half is enough to earn victory. The second half was more even but Torpedo rarely threatened.
Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs Neman Grodno ( Saturday 13.30 UK time )
Shakhtoyr were impressive in winning at Gorodeya, playing skilful football at a high pace. However, the number of easy chances they missed must be a worry, and they only made the game secure with a late penalty.
Grodno were comfortable enough winners at home to Vitebsk last weekend, but despite their shock home defeat on the first weekend of the season, Shakhtyor should have enough quality to easily win this one.
Result : 0-0. Neman’s cynical and defensive approach earnt a draw
against a lacklustre Shakhtyor. The home team spurned a number of chances,
hit the post twice ( once with an injury time free-kick ) and had a shot
cleared off the line that should have been buried.
BATE Borisov vs Rukh Brest ( Saturday 15.30 UK time )
Newly promoted Rukh Brest provided a major shock of the first weekend by winning at Dinamo Minsk but BATE have provided even bigger shocks by losing their first two matches, both away. Despite their defensive looking very shaky in both matches, surely it is unthinkable they will not register their first win here ?
Result : 1-0. Dragun’s early header is enough to give BATE their first win of the season, although a lively Rukh side caused a few second half nerves.
Dinamo Brest vs Slavia Mozyr ( Saturday 17.30 UK time )
Champions Dinamo have also been suffering from the disease affecting the “giants” of Belarus football, labouring to a home draw against newly promoted Smolevichi and then an unconvincing win at Slutsk. They at least have 4 points on the board though.
Slavia have been one of the most entertaining sides so far, conceding 4 penalties in their 3-1 defeat at Slutsk ( a game with 5 penalties in total, to match Crystal Palace v Brighton in 1989, and Argentina v Colombia in 1999 ) before deserving upsetting BATE.
Logic suggests Dinamo to win an entertaining match, maybe 3-1
Result : 1-2. Attack minded Slavia caused an upset for the second week
running in an exciting end to end encounter. Dinamo almost came back from 0-2
but squandered two golden chances in injury time. The referee waived away several
desperate second half penalty appeals as Dinamo players fell to the floor following
corners and crosses. The referee was probably correct, but VAR might have
judged differently………..
Energetik BGU Minsk vs FK Minsk ( Sunday 12.00 UK time )
A Minsk derby and a clash between two sides with 100% records. Not surprisingly they are also the league’s two highest scorers with 4 and 6 goals respectively.
Energetik looked impressive in their first day win over BATE, with on loan Uzbek youngster Jarusbek Yakhsiboev’s two classy finishes, and the support play of Liberian David Tweh catching the eye.
FK Minsk have looked good going forward with commentator’s nightmare Uladzmir Khvashchynski to the fore, and should have beaten Dinamo Minsk more easily than the final 3-2 scoreline. However, they way they let Dinamo back into the game, and the chances Belshina were able to fashion suggests goals at either end. Maybe a 2-2 draw ?
Result : 2-0. BGU deservedly win to maintain their 100% record and go clear at the top of the table. In a cagey match between two sides happier on the counter attack, Yakhsiboev was the stand out player, the first goal being swept home after his shot is parried, and then decided the match in injury time, going for goal rather than wasting time by the corner flag. Minsk applied some pressure in the last 20 minutes following a red card to a BGU player, but their one good chance went into the side netting
FK Vitebsk vs FK Smolevichi STI ( Sunday 14.00 UK time )
Vitebsk held on to beat a poor Gorodeya side after playing the second half with ten men, but were soundly beaten at Grodno. Newly promoted Smolevichi performed spiritedly to claim a surprise point at the Champions Dinamo Brest before being edged out by Isloch in a match played at Dinamo Minsk’s 23,000 all seat stadium with less than 1,000 in attendance. The accordion player there was more entertaining than the match………..
An uninspiring match in prospect, a possible 1-0 home win ?
Result : 1-0. Due to Covid-19 fears in Vitebsk, this match was switched to BATE’s old stadium in Borisov, over 200 km away. Vitebsk took an early lead from a free-kick from which the keeper should have done better. They dominated a dull match until a dodgy red card reduced them to 10 men. However, Smolevechi probably wouldn’t have scored if they had played to midnight, with the Vitebsk keeper impressively claiming all the crosses, corners and free-kicks launched into his area.
FK Isloch Minsk vs FK Slutsk ( Sunday 16.00 UK time )
Isloch jointly top the table thanks to two 1-0 home wins, and are at home for the third consecutive week. Guinean striker Momo Yausane has both goals to his name. Isloch have kept a clean sheet in 4 consecutive matches as pre-season they also played out two 0-0s in the two legged Cup Quarter Finals against Dynamo Brest before losing the penalty shoot-out.
For non-football related reasons, Slutsk are apparently becoming the most popular Belarus club with English speaking supporters outside of the country,with suggestions that Pornhub should become their new shirt sponsor !
This is Slutsk’s first away match of the season, with all three of their goals so far coming from penalties or a rebound from a saved penalty.
Isloch to chalk-up another 1-0 win to disappoint all of Slutsk’s new found supporters, and with hopefully the accordion player again in attendance !
Result : 2-3. Slutsk’s new legion of fans will no doubt be delighted by 3 away points in a match where defending at times seemed to be an optional extra. After conceding early from a free header from a corner, Isloch looked to be heading to the top of the league with two well taken goals early in the second half. However, Slutsk immediately equalised and a soft penalty 15 minutes from time decided the game. Isloch had chances to equalize at the death, but two headers were well saved by the Slutsk keeper.
Summary :
Belshina Bobruisk 0-1 FK Gorodeya ( att : 405 )
Dinamo Minsk 2-0 Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino ( att : 411 )
Shakhtyor Soligorsk 0-0 Neman Grodno ( att : 277 )
BATE Borisov 1-0 Rukh Brest ( att : 440 )
Dinamo Brest 1-2 Slavia Mozyr ( att : 546 )
Energetik BGU Minsk 2-0 FK Minsk ( att : 250 )
FK Vitebsk 1-0 FK Smolevichi STI ( att : 100 - switched to Borisov )
FK Isloch Minsk 2-3 FK Slutsk ( att : 210 )
With attendances around 60-75% lower than normal, it appears that the fans boycott over corona virus fears is having a significant impact......
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDSRuCM7FMI
Dinamo Minsk Programme : https://vk.com/doc15192585_543292818?hash=b897a27ddf0a29fdf3&dl=9fe603d1d9a5d4d5fd
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