October 16, 17 & 18, 2020
So, after the break for the latest round of Nations League matches and the Belarus Cup, the Belarus Premier League resumes with most sides having only 5 matches left to play. Unfortunately, with reports of upto 14 players in the Belshina camp suffering from Covid their match at Slavia has been postponed. Furthermore, an unnamed player in the Belarus Under 21 squad was suspected of having the virus which led to the Under 21 match with Norway being postponed. It is not clear if this will have an impact on any of the other fixtures going ahead.
What is not in doubt though is that whatever games do go ahead, there is likely to be important consequences at the top and bottom of the table !
FK Slutsk vs FK Minsk ( Friday at 13.30 UK time )
Not quite a must win for Slutsk with matches against Gorodeya and Smolevichy still to come but after 6 consecutive losses and one win in 16 in the league they need to stop the rot. Minsk have won 4 out of 5 and come into the match on the back of an impressive cup win at Rukh. 0-2
Result : 2-1. A much needed three points for Slutsk who led 1-0 at half-time, Koanda credited with getting on the end of Ponikarov's flicked header from a corner, although it may have come off the Minsk defender. Slutsk keeper Branovets made a fine double save from Nasibulin and Anufriev just before the break. Minsk raised their game in the second half but rarely threatened a Slutsk defence looking much more reassured than in recent weeks, and it appeared Slutsk would hang onto 1-0. However, as is often the case in Belarus there was late drama. First, the referee awarded Minsk a penalty for handball which Vasiliev despatched to level the scores. Then in added on time Gafar was brought down when put through by Semenov and Kozlov smashed home the penalty to restore the lead for Slutsk. Despite over 8 minutes of added on time, Slutsk held on.
FK Vitebsk vs Energetik BGU Minsk ( Saturday at 14.00 UK time )
A battle between 10th and 9th with both sides having slipped out of the Europa Conference places contention. Vitebsk have no win in 6 and Energetik have one win in 8. Vitebsk hold the psychological advantage though after their 1-0 win at Engertik in the cup last week. 2-1
Result : 1-0. In a game with very much an end of season feel to it, Energetik will probably be a little aggrieved not to have taken something from this match. Vitebsk keeper Gushchenko made a numbers of fine saves to deny Yudchits, Girs, Bakic and Nosko, Yudchits' header looked to have crossed the line before being clawed away and Dias had a goal disallowed for a very marginal offside ( if at all ). For Vitebsk Fedosov hit the bar with a first half header, and Julio Cesar rose higher than anyone else to head home Wanderson's cross with just over 10 minutes to go.
Neman Grodno vs FK Gorodeya ( Saturday at 16.00 UK time )
A home banker for Neman to continue their unlikely title challenge. Gorodeya were humiliated at home to Second Division Arsenal in the Cup last week and with no wins in 7 they are long odds to get anything from this match. 3-0
Result : 0-1. What a turn-up ! Lazar Sajcic's wonderful left footed curling shot into the top corner might have a huge impact at both ends of the table, breathing free life into Gorodeya's battle against the drop, and putting a possibly fatal dent into Neman's title hopes. Neman's lack of goals came back to haunt them, with Yakimov's long range effort being just about the only decent save Gorodeya keeper Chernik was forced to make.
FK Smolevichy STI vs Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino ( Sunday at 11.45 UK time )
With 9 consecutive defeats Smolevichy are unlikely to upset Torpedo’s bid for 4th place. 0-3
Result : 1-4. Ultimately a routine victory for Torpedo but Smolevichy went in to the break level after Lozhkin was left unmarked to head home. Earlier Smolevichy keeper Kurshubasne had made two fine saves before mis-judging a free-kick from Veloso to gift Torpedo the lead. Torpedo took control after the break, with Antilevski's goal mirroring Lozhkin's apart from being a left footed finish, and Bordachev settled the outcomed bundling the ball over the line after the keeper had blocked a close range shot. A sweet display of first time passing left Ramos an easy finish to make it 4-1.
FK Isloch Minsk vs BATE Borisov ( Sunday at 13.45 UK time )
BATE wobbled again last time out losing at home to Dynamo Brest. Isloch are on a great run, a run of 6 wins ending with a draw at Energetik. Despite the departure of Momo Yansane they subsequently comfortably overcame a banana skin in the Cup at Krumkachy. 2-2.
Result : 2-2. A very entertaining match with the best and worst of BATE on display. A static and square back four allowed Bakas to run onto a diagonal cross give Isloch the lead after 18 minutes, but BATE were level a minute later when a good move put Wilhemsson free on the left for him to cross to Skavysh for a side footed finish at the back post. Skavysh looked suspiciously offside when heading home from close range in the 51st minute for his 15th goal of the season, but another defensive lapse allowed Kuzmenok to equalize with a diving header from an inswinging free-kick with 20 minutes to go. Both sides then had chances to win the match, and BATE had an effort correctly ruled out for offside. However, a draw was probably a fair result.
Referee Sergei Chistov and his assistants didn't have the best of games though, both sides could easily have been awarded two penalties each, but the two clear fouls for Isloch and two handballs for BATE were not given.
Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs Dinamo Minsk ( Sunday at 16.00 UK time )
Shakhtyor will be looking to bounce back from their poor defeat at Slavia last time out in the league. Matches involving Dinamo rarely feature a lot of goals. 1-0
Result : 0-1. A typical anti-football performance from Dinamo which saw them take three points from Soligorsk. After virtually nothing happening for 80 minutes, a loose ball fell kindly for Klimovich to fire home from 8 yards. Shakhtyor never looked like scoring and have now lost three of their last 4 matches. The person that puts together the highlights packages for the Belarus FA did well to find 5 minutes from this game !
Dinamo Brest vs Rukh Brest ( Sunday at 18.00 UK time )
Little brother Rukh sit above Dinamo in the table and although Dinamo won the first meeting 4-1, it was closer than the score line indicated. Only BATE have scored more goals than these two. 4-2
Result : 5-2. A cracking game to finish the weekend, and kept Dinamo's very faint title hopes alive. Kislyak opened the scoring in the 4th minute but in an end to end first half Rukh responded with two great goals from Nikiforenko and Vasiliev to lead at the break. Dinamo responded with four unanswered goals in the second half, although Krivets equalizer was a fortunate deflection. There was no luck about Laptev's fine run and finish to make it 3-2 though nor Gordeychuk's header for 4-2. Perchenin wrapped up the scoring in added on time. The score-line was perhaps a bit harsh on Rukh.
Summary :