It is quickly becoming clear that the eight team Belarus Women’s Premier
League is split into three distinct standards :
-
- the good ( Minsk, Dinamo BGU )
-
- the competent ( Neman, Zorka )
-
- the weak ( ABFF U19, Bobruichanka, BOTSOR, Dnepr
Mogilev )
Matches between sides in each section will be competitive, otherwise
scores will be lopsided.
ABFF Under 19 4-3 Bobruichanka ( att : 30 )
In a match played at FK Minsk’s stadium it sounded like there were more
supporters of the national Under 19 team in the main stands than the official
attendance, as the singing and drumming made a lot of noise. However, next to no
one was visible from the camera angle.
Both teams came into the match after heavy defeats in the opening round but it turned out to be an unexpectedly entertaining game, Both sides were probably enjoying
actually having the ball for a change ! In contrast to the youth of the Belarus Under
19 side, Bobruichanka started with only 4 players under the age of 29, and two of
the three substitutes used were over 37. At least three of the veterans were
ex-Internationals, from the distant times when Bobruichanka were the dominant
side in the land.
Goals from Anna Kashinskaya and Tatyana Shereshovets gave the Under 19s a deserved 2-0 half-time
lead and when Shereshovets scored again after 50 minutes to make it 3-0 ( which
the camera missed ! ), a rout looked likely. Bobruichank scored their first
goal when 37 year old Gorbunova’s poke beat several defenders on the line, but
within seconds from the restart the Under 19’s had responded as Kashinskaya pounced on some defensive
hesitation to make it 4-1 with 57 minutes on the clock.
With 25 minutes to play 38 year old substitute Olga Aniskovtseva intercepted
a bad back pass to pull a goal back for Bobruichanka and the game then became end to
end as both sides tired, the quality dropped, and both sides missed chances.
When the visitors scored again through the 38 year old Oksana Shpak's close range
header with 2 minutes remaining it left the youngsters potentially facing a
nail biting last few minutes. However, they held out comfortably to recorded
their first victory with a scoreline which looks closer than it really was.
BOTSOR 0-8 Minsk ( att : 50 )
BOTSOR, with only one player over the age of 19, were no match for the
hugely experienced Champions, who have now scored 18 goals in their first two
matches. Minsk had two Nigerians, an Ivorian, a Cameroonian, a Ukrainian and a
Russian in their starting line-up.
The Minsk team bus was visibly parked in the road on the far side of the
ground, but tactically they had no need to park the bus on the pitch !
Minsk took just under two minutes to take the lead through Anastasia Pogegailo
but BOTSOR did well to keep it to only 0-3 at half-time, although the lead
could/should have been more. However, they were powerless to stop five
additional goals in the second half. Nigerian midfielder Chioma Wogu and
Pogegailo led the way for Minsk with a brace each but the other goals were
shared around, with an own goal to finish the scoring
Frankly, despite eight goals it was pretty dull to watch, although
Ivorian Nadege Cisse’s elegant passing and intelligent running caught the eye
as did the skill of Wogu and the brute strength of traditionally built Nigerian
forward Emueje Ogbiagbevka. Minsk looked a strong all-round team with no obvious
weaknesses although I don’t think the Minsk keeper has had to make a save in either
match so far.
Zorka BGU 0-1 Neman Grodno ( att : 60 )
A match between the sides that finished second and third last season was
actually a good advertisement for the Belarus Women’s Premier League. The two sides
were evenly matched and both looked to pass the ball even when under pressure
in defence. The match was also excellently refereed, with every attempt to let
the game flow.
Zorka, based in Minsk, had won their opening match against
BOTSOR 3-0 and fielded a team entirely of Belarusians. In contrast, Neman, who
won 6-0 against Bobruichanka, had four Africans in their side ( two Ivorians, a
Nigerian and a Cameroonian ) plus a Russian goal-keeper.
It always felt like one goal would settle the outcome as all the neat
build up play created very few chances, and Zorka were not able to finish the one
good chance of the first half. When the goal came it was a stunner, Cameroon
Under 17 international Moussa Zuweratu’s 30+ yard strike flew into the top
corner giving the impressive Gerus in the Zorka goal no chance.
Zorka thought
they had equalised with five minutes to go, but the effort was disallowed for
handball, and just on full time Neman could have made it 2-0 but their
breakaway effort slide narrowly wide.
Dnepr Mogilev 0-7 Dinamo BGU ( att : 50 )
This match was bizarrely played indoor under a large dome and with an artificial
pitch. The TV coverage was just one low camera on the halfway line but able to
zoom as necessary to where the action was.
Dnepr have been handed the toughest possible start to the season, having
been given a 10-0 drubbing by Champions Minsk in their first match and now
having to face a Dinamo side who won their first match 7-0 and were today
strengthen by the first league appearance of controversial Burkina Faso striker
Salimata Simpore in the only change in their starting line-up.
Another heavy defeat was on the cards, but they held out for nearly
twenty minutes before Simpore was left alone in the 6 yard box for a simple
header. Twenty minutes later the score was 4-0 and Simpore had scored them all. Dinamo add a fifth on the stroke of half-time
with Shlapakova finding the net.
As in their previous match, substitutions reduced the potency of Dinamo
and only two more goals were added to their tally in the second half.
Kazakevich’s shot from the edge of the area made it 6-0 after 60 minutes, and
the final goal ironically came from only Dnepr’s second corner. The poor
delivery was headed clear to Simpore who ran most of the length of the pitch and
then unselfishly laid the ball across for an easy finish for Alhkovik.
Dnepr fielded a very young side with only three players over the age of
21. They actually had two players with International caps, the 30 year old
Denisenko Twins ( Yulia and Anna ) who both have one cap each, although Yulia
only played 5 minutes for the Belarus national side ! Frankly though, some of
their young girls did not look particularly fit, and their skill levels were low.
In comparison, everyone in the Dinamo team looks athletic.
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