Review Belarus Women’s Premier League 2020

October 29, 2020

With two rounds of matches still to be played in the Belarus Premier League, only the 3^rd and 4^th places in the league table are realistically still undecided.

After 10 rounds of matches these diaries identified that the eight team Belarus Women’s Premier League could be split into four distinct standards, the good ( FK Minsk, Dinamo BGU ), the competent ( Neman Grodno, Zorka BDU ), the weak ( ABFF U19, Bobruichanka, Dnepr Mogilev ) and the awful ( BOTSOR ). At the end of the season this still remains valid apart from perhaps ABFF U19 now have a case to be considered in the competent camp. Matches between sides within each strata have usually been close and entertaining, but there have been too many lop-sided matches between sides in different categories

All matches have been streamed live on the Belarus FA YouTube channel apart from one or two technical hiccups ! There is also usually a “best goals of the week” package uploaded onto the YouTube channel. Highlights are also regularly posted on the YouTube channels of Dinamo Minsk, FK Minsk and Neman Grodno. Dnepr Mogliev post highlights onto their YouTube channel when they don't lose ie not very often !

In only their first year since being founded, Dinamo BGU Minsk, affiliated and supported by Dinamo Minsk have won the double without losing a match. Coach Yuri Maleev, who is also the coach of the Belarus Women’s National team, has kept the pressure on his side to continue improving, being prepared to take-off star players in first half if he felt they were not performing up to the required standard. The Dinamo website also quotes him as saying he will not tolerate any drop in playing levels even though the title has already been won.

All 19 league matches played have been won, with over 100 goals scored and only three goals conceded. Their only serious challengers have been FK Minsk, who were overcome 2-1, 1-0 and 2-0. The title was effectively decided with the 1-0 win in Round 11 where 753 spectators saw Dinamo dominate but won only thanks to Anastasia Linnik scoring from the rebound after her second half penalty had been saved.

However, Dinamo were unable to beat FK Minsk in 120 minutes in the Belarus Cup Final, needing to win a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0 draw. Both keepers made outstanding saves in the shoot-out.

 In Salimata Simpore Dinamo have the league’s outstanding player and the controversial 33 year old Burkina Faso international tops the scoring charts with 19 goals, and has unselfishly created many chances for her team mates. Goals have been spread all though the side, Karina Olhkovik has 17 goals, Anastasia Shuppo is on 15, Linnik on 13 and Anna Pilipenko on 10.

The starting XI for the Belarus national side’s recent 0-1 defeat against Northern Ireland contained 7 Dinamo players ( Olhkovik, Shuppo, Linnik, Pilipenko, Kazakevich, Novikova & Slesarchik ) with Shlapakova coming off the bench. The Dinamo squad at the start of the season also included Munteanu, the Moldovan goal-keeper and who looks to be the best keeper in the league, Mbane, a 30 year old South African International and Dabda, an 18 year old Cameroon youth international. The squad was further strengthened during the season with the signings of South African Internationals, defender Ester Ramalepe and Rhona Mulaudzi, plus energetic American Abigail Small. 

FK Minsk’s bid for an 8^th consecutive title centred around powerful Nigerian striker Emueje Ogbiagbevka, who scored 16 goals in the first 8 league matches. Unfortunately for Minsk she was injured early on in a match against Zorka, and although she returned to the side for the second encounter with Dinamo two weeks later, she was clearly not fit and was substituted just before half-time. It was to be her last appearance in a Minsk shirt as following the second defeat to Dinamo, the club started to make changes, almost in acceptance that the league title had gone. Ogbiagbevka and fellow Nigerian Success Wogu left the club and Belarus international midfielder Yulia Duben joined Zorka. 

In the aftermath of these changes, Minsk struggled, twice edging past Neman 1-0 and then deservedly losing 1-2 to ABFF Under 19. After this and the failure to win the Cup Final two new forwards were signed, Ukrainian Anastasia Skoryna and Cameroonian Henrietta Akaba and the convincing wins returned.  However, the third defeat to Dinamo saw coach Grigorov relieved of his duties and Alexander Luhvich appointed until the end of the season.

Minsk also have a few Belarus international in their squad, Kozyupa, Kubichnaya & Kharlanova, two goal-keepers Kovalchuk & Voskobovich and 17 year-olds Anna Sas and Anastastia Pobegaylo have recently been called up after becoming regulars in the Minsk side.  Ukrainian International forward Tamila Khimich has 16 goals this season and centre-back Lyubov Shmatko is also in the Ukrainian national squad. Ivorian Nadege Cisse and Cameroonian Alvina Niyolle have impressed whilst the former captain of the Russia national side Maria Galay has been solid at the back.

Neman Grodno currently occupy third place five points ahead of Zorka BGU but with fixtures against Dinamo and Minsk left to play, Zorka could overtake them with wins over Dnepr Mogilev and Bobruichanka. These two sides are evenly matched with the three games between them resulting in one win each and a draw. 

Zorka have lost all their matches against Dinamo and Minsk but have won all their other matches apart from a 1-1 draw at ABFF U19, and managed to score 3 goals against Dinamo in a Cup defeat.

Neman play in the distinctive yellow and green shirts which are the change strip of the men’s team. Like Zorka they have lost each time to Dinamo and Minsk and won all of their other matches except for a 1-2 loss at ABFF U19. In a three week period at the end of July Neman played Minsk three times, twice in the cup and lost three very even matches 0-1, two of them to very soft penalty decisions. The results could easily have gone the other way had Neman taken their chances or the referee being a bit favourable. However, ultimately Zorka’s slightly better record against ABFF U19 could be the reason they take third place instead of Neman.

 

Zorka play in all red with home matches at the RCOR BGU stadium, which is where Energetik BGU were playing until they had to move to a grass pitch. The squad is made up entirely of Belarus nationals and there is a mixture of youth and experience. 34 year old Diana Tropnikova is the top scorer is with 11 goals followed by 31 year old Liana Miroshnichenko with 9 goals. 17 year old Diana Bakum has scored 6 goals, 20 year old Valeria Bogdan has earned a call-up to the national squad and Vikoria Gerus has been a danger from midfield. The arrival of international Yulia Duben has also strengthened the midfield and she scored a fine goal against Dinamo.

For Neman, Ekaterina Dudko is currently the league’s joint second highest scorer with 17 goals, although 8 of these have come against BOTSOR and she has managed only one against Dinamo, Minsk and Zorka combined. However, in recognition of her goalscoring prowess she has been recalled to the national squad but is yet to make her debut. Former Belarus International Elizaveta Sergeychik has scored 13 times, as Neman have been ruthless in punishing the weaker teams in the league. Despite not scoring against Dinamo and Minsk, and just three times against Zorka, they have racked up 58 goals in 12 league games against the bottom four !

The Neman match day squad regularly includes three players from the Ivory Coast as well as veteran Nigerian defender Gift Otuwe. 19 year old Cameroonian full back Moussa Zouwairatou has stood-out, having scored 6 times, including two stunning long range efforts against Zorka, and 20 year old Juliette Nana from Burkina Faso has looked dangerous on the right wing since joining in July. Veteran midfielder Tatiana Loginova has also looked creative when given time and space on the ball and would probably be near the top of the assists chart for the season if one were kept.

ABFF U19  will finish 5^th in the table, and are mostly players from the national team for the most recent European Under 17 qualification matches. All the players are 19 or under. During the season the team has been strengthened by the loan of Dinamo’s two Under 19 internationals Viktoria Valyuk & Kristina Tikhovodova as part of giving them more game time and integrating with the bulk of the team that will represent Belarus next year in the Euro U19 championships being held in the country. Similarly 18 year old Anna Krasikova  joined from Dnepr Mogilev midway through the season.

Like many young sides they have been inconsistent, recording a shock victory over Minsk, capable of beating Neman and drawing with Zorka but on the other hand also capable of losing to Dnepr and Bobruichanka. At times their play has been a little naïve and they have been bullied by bigger, stronger sides. However, they have tried to play attacking football but the lack of a consistent goal scorer has been a problem and the side have scored only 23 times all season. Melana Surovtseva and Natalia Asmykovich are their joint top scorers, having both found the net just 5 times. 17 year old goalkeeper Polina Malaeva has impressed all season with her bravery, confident handling of cross and many outstanding saves. Like many keepers in the league though she has been beaten a few times with high shots. The one match she missed was lost 1-6 !

Until the rise of FK Minsk, Bobruichanka from Bobruisk were the dominate side in the land, winning 11 titles. Unfortunately for them though, the last of these was in 2012, although several players from those days are still regularly turning out. Age is clearly a problem for Bobruichanka, with usually the majority of the matchday squad being over 30. However, the signings of burly Cameroonian 21 year old defender Sorelle Metiefang and 21 year old Nigerian forward Chynonayram Mclean has helped reduce the average age of the team, and Mclean has scored 6 times in 9 appearances since joining the club. Despite this, Bobruichanka have relied heavily on 31 year old Elena Buzinova for both keeping possession and controlling games.

Bobruichanka have recorded three victories over BOTSOR, one over ABFF U19, one over Dnepr, with whom they have also played out two draws.

Dnepr Mogilev play indoors in what has been described as a giant igloo, and they play in perhaps the nicest kits, either a tasteful bright pink shirt and black shorts or an all highlighter yellow strip ! They started the season with hammerings from Minsk and Dinamo and frankly looked awful in those matches. However, they improved gradually over the season recording two wins over BOTSOR and one over ABFF U19, plus two draws with Bobruichanka, against whom they lost to in two very even encounters in the Belarus Cup. Their obvious problem has been in scoring goals, with only 11 all season, four of which were scored in a single game against BOTSOR by 17 year old Elizaveta Pinchuk.

All their players come from Belarus with the most consistent performer being 30 year old Anna Denisenko, who like her twin sister Yulia has won 1 cap. Nearly all of their other players this season have been under 21 years old.

Finally, BOTSOR from Brest prop up the table having lost all their league and cup matches, scoring just two goals all season and conceding 120. The fearful drubbings have included 5 defeats by 10 goals or more although the presence of someone who might have a clue how to keep goal would have helped, and the many of the goals conceded have been embarrassing to watch. They did lose only 0-1 once, and 0-2 four times though. Everyone who has played so far this season has been under 23, and all bar two are under 20. Their two Under 19 internationals, Aryna Sitnikova & Viktoria Marchik look like they could become useful players if they played in a better side………….., 

Round 20 Fixtures

Saturday October 31, 2020

Zorka BDU vs Dnepr Mogilev ( 13.00 local/10.00 GMT )

BOTSOR vs ABFF U19 ( 15.00 local/12.00 GMT )

Dinamo BGU vs Bobruichanka ( 15.00 local/12.00 GMT )

FK Minsk vs Neman Grodno ( 17.00 local/14.00 GMT )

 European Competition

In the 2020/21 UEFA Women’s Champions League FK Minsk have been drawn at home against Latvian Champions Rigas Futbola skola. As Minsk were the second highest seeds of the 40 teams in this round and Rigas FS one of the lowest, Minsk should hopefully be confident of proceeding to the second round. The one-off match is due to be played on November  4^th.

The second qualifying round, involving the winners of the 20 ties in the first round is scheduled to be played on November 18/19 and the winners of these 10 ties join 22 seeded sides into last 32 knock-out stage. In 2019/20 Minsk eliminated FC Zurich before losing in the last 16 to Barcelona 1-8 over two legs