July 17, 18 & 19 2020
An intriguing week with every game hard to call,
and a lot of interest in seeing how teams react after their performances last
week. Belshina and Smolevichy will be looking to continue from their surprise
wins, Energetik need a reaction after letting in eight, and Isloch and Torpedo
will be looking for big improvements on last week’s poor display.
Neman versus Shakhtyor is the standout fixture,
although stuttering BATE at Rukh is another one watch.
Dinamo Brest’s visit to Slavia Mozyr has been
postponed as the Champions self-isolate for a second week after their COVID-19 outbreak
FK Slutsk vs
FK Isloch Minsk ( Friday at 16.00 UK time )
After being unlucky to lose at Neman, Isloch were awful
last week at Smolevichy. Slutsk have
taken only two points from their last 9 games, scoring just 5 times. Could be a
poor game. 0-0
Result : 2-1. Slutsk stopped the rot which this much needed win, although Isloch will be kicking themselves for not getting anything from this after dominating the first half. Godfrey had deservely given the visitors the lead at the interval, but ghost defending allowed Koanda and Gafar to score for Slutsk in the first 8 minutes of the second half. Isloch rarely looked like equalizing after this.
Result : 2-1. Slutsk stopped the rot which this much needed win, although Isloch will be kicking themselves for not getting anything from this after dominating the first half. Godfrey had deservely given the visitors the lead at the interval, but ghost defending allowed Koanda and Gafar to score for Slutsk in the first 8 minutes of the second half. Isloch rarely looked like equalizing after this.
FK Gorodeya vs Belshina Bobruisk ( Friday at 18.00 UK time
)
A relegation 6 pointer. Belshina will be confident
after their unexpected win over Torpedo and hoping to narrow the gap between
them and Gorodeya, who will be hoping to improve on their record of one win in
12. 1-1
Result : 2-1. A typical turgid relegation battle which was goalless with 4 minutes of the minimum 5 injury time played, in which Belshina had looked the marginally better of two poor sides. An unnecessary shirt-pull gave Gorodeya a penalty, and Joksimovic appeared to have given Gorodeya an ill-deserved three points. Remarkably, play continuted and Kovel attoned for an earlier bad miss with a flicked header for the equaliser from a corner. Incredibly, play continuted, and Sajcic was left unmarked and had time to control and send his left footed shot into the corner of the net for a scarcely believable winner in the 10th minute of added on time. Presumably they were dancing in the streets of Gorodeya.........
Result : 2-1. A typical turgid relegation battle which was goalless with 4 minutes of the minimum 5 injury time played, in which Belshina had looked the marginally better of two poor sides. An unnecessary shirt-pull gave Gorodeya a penalty, and Joksimovic appeared to have given Gorodeya an ill-deserved three points. Remarkably, play continuted and Kovel attoned for an earlier bad miss with a flicked header for the equaliser from a corner. Incredibly, play continuted, and Sajcic was left unmarked and had time to control and send his left footed shot into the corner of the net for a scarcely believable winner in the 10th minute of added on time. Presumably they were dancing in the streets of Gorodeya.........
FK Vitebsk vs FK Smolevichy STI ( Saturday at 14.30
UK time )
Will Smolevichy’s inexperienced youngsters repeat
the form they showed against Torpedo ? Vitebsk have only lost once at home,
although they are something of a draw specialist, but should have too much nous
for the visitors. 2-1
Result : 1-0. After the euforia of last week, Smolevichy were brought back down to earth against a resolutely professional Vitebsk side who perhaps deserved to win by more than one goal. Last week's hero Lozkhin did skilfully fashion one chance for himself but was thwarted Vitebsk keeper Soroko. The winning goal came from the penalty spot after a careless and unnecessary challenge was punished, which Moldovan goal machine Nicolaescu tucked away.
Result : 1-0. After the euforia of last week, Smolevichy were brought back down to earth against a resolutely professional Vitebsk side who perhaps deserved to win by more than one goal. Last week's hero Lozkhin did skilfully fashion one chance for himself but was thwarted Vitebsk keeper Soroko. The winning goal came from the penalty spot after a careless and unnecessary challenge was punished, which Moldovan goal machine Nicolaescu tucked away.
Rukh Brest vs BATE Borisov ( Saturday at 18.30 UK
time )
Rukh have been impressive in recent weeks, so BATE
could face another difficult week. Rukh
are unlikely to score 8 this week though. 1-1
Result : 0-3. Rukh were taught a harsh lesson as their gung-ho approach was ruthlessly torn apart by BATE's counter attacking, with Nastic and Moukam in particular impressing. Two down after twenty minutes and abandoning the structured defensive tactics that had served them so well all season it looked like Rukh could be on the receiving end of an eight goal thrashing themselves. However, the game fizzled out in the second half as BATE dropped their intensity. Nastic, Nekhaychik and Stavysh got the goals for BATE.
Result : 0-3. Rukh were taught a harsh lesson as their gung-ho approach was ruthlessly torn apart by BATE's counter attacking, with Nastic and Moukam in particular impressing. Two down after twenty minutes and abandoning the structured defensive tactics that had served them so well all season it looked like Rukh could be on the receiving end of an eight goal thrashing themselves. However, the game fizzled out in the second half as BATE dropped their intensity. Nastic, Nekhaychik and Stavysh got the goals for BATE.
FK Minsk vs Energetik
BGU Minsk ( Sunday at 14.45 UK time )
After last week’s eight goal disaster, Energetik
will be out to show that was a blip and that they can cope without Yakshiboev
and Tweh. Struggling Minsk, without a win in 6, are ideal opposition. 2-2
Result : 2-1. An important win for Minsk. Energetik dominated the first half and led thanks to a soft penalty, but they returned the favour on the stroke of half time. Dozy defending allowed Zaleskiy to give Minsk the lead in the 51st minutes, and Energetik rarely looked like getting back on level terms.
Result : 2-1. An important win for Minsk. Energetik dominated the first half and led thanks to a soft penalty, but they returned the favour on the stroke of half time. Dozy defending allowed Zaleskiy to give Minsk the lead in the 51st minutes, and Energetik rarely looked like getting back on level terms.
Neman Grodno vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk ( Sunday at
16.45 UK time )
Third plays first in a match between the two best
defences in the division. It’s unlikely to be a goal fest. 0-0
Result : 0-0. As expected, defences dominated as the heavens opened and the large crowd sought cover ! The first shot on target didn't arrive until injury time, and if they were playing next goal wins they would still be playing next weekend ! Impossible to choose a man of the match for either side.............
Result : 0-0. As expected, defences dominated as the heavens opened and the large crowd sought cover ! The first shot on target didn't arrive until injury time, and if they were playing next goal wins they would still be playing next weekend ! Impossible to choose a man of the match for either side.............
Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino vs Dinamo Minsk ( Sunday at 18.45
UK time )
Dinamo don’t concede many and they are slowly getting better results despite not being pretty to watch.
Torpedo have lost two in a row but a tight match should be in prospect. 0-0.
Result : 0-0. Not quite as bad as feared but still not a great advert for football in Belarus. Torpedo did create some decent chances in the first half and the ball hit the Dinamo wordwork three times in one goalmouth scramble. A fair result.
Summary :