November 6, 7 & 8, 2020
So, with just three weeks to go to the end of the 2020 season, there are two stand-out fixtures this weekend that could determine the destiny of promotion and relegation. After last week-end’s catch-up fixtures, Dinamo Brest’s failure to over come Slavia means their title chances are now heavily dependent on an unlikely set of results, However, Shakhtyor’s emphatic win at Belshina sets up a potential championship decider with BATE. Whoever wins Saturday night’s fixture will become short favourites to win the Belarus Premier League.
Similarly, the loser of the Slutsk vs Gorodeya match is likely to be condemned to the relegation play-off match against whoever finished third in the First League. Neither side would relish a tie against NFK Krumkachy, the current incumbents.
Elsewhere Dinamo Brest, Torpedo, Dinamo Minsk and Isloch will all be battling for the remaining European places……….
FK Isloch Minsk vs FK Minsk ( Friday at 11.30 UK time )
Although Minsk have won 5 out of their last 8 fixtures to secure their place in the BPL for next season, Isloch are unbeaten in 9 and should continue to keep their faint Europa Conference League hopes alive. 2-1
Result : 3-4. The exact opposition of a dull, dreary encounter between two sides with nothing to play for, helped admittedly by two defences mentally already on their winter dacha holidays ! After both sides scored from penalties unnecessarily conceded, Isloch took a deserved lead just before half-time when Komarovsky's corner was headed on to Rybak in acres of space to flick home from inside the 6 yard box. Minsk equalised soon after the break, Khatkevich made a fine one handed save to keep out Vasiliev's header but Anufriev was on hand to tap home the rebound. Shramchenko then hit the bar from long range with Khatkevich well beaten, before Makas restored the lead for Isloch with a diving header into the roof of the net. Minsk were awarded a second penalty which Vasiliev again converted to tie the match encounter and a goalmouth scramble looked to have given Minsk the winner with 7 minutes left, but it was ruled out for offside. Minsk were not to be denied though and with the last action of the match 17 year old Zinovich evaded his marker at the back post to head home the winner.
FK Vitebsk vs Rukh Brest ( Friday at 15.00 UK time )
Rukh have been entertaining to watch since halfway through the season, and Vitebsk are not as effective since the departures of Diego Carioca and Nicolaescu. 0-2
Result : 0-0. In contrast to the earlier Isloch vs Minsk match this was exactly a dull, dreary encounter between two sides with nothing to play for ! Going into this game, Vitebsk were the joint lowest scorers in the league, and frankly it showed. Vitebsk did have the best chances in the first half, Rukh keeper Stepanov making a double save to thwart Matveenko, and a long range lob was headed off the line with Stepanov stranded. Rukh had the edge in the second half but were unable to capitalise on a couple of half-chances and had a goal disallowed for offside, on which the TV replays were inconclusive. Perhaps fittingly the two sides with the most draws played out another draw.
FK Smolevichy STI vs Neman Grodno ( Saturday at 10.00 UK time )
Smolevichy’s relegation has now been confirmed, and Neman need an emphatic win to finish in the top 4. 0-3
Result : 1-4. Predictably Smolevichy fell to their twelfth consecutive defeat, as Zabelin and Kadimyan with two goals each improved their scoring statistics for the season. The promising Lozhkin unselfishly set-up Khankevich for a consolation for Smolevichy who finished with a flourish, but failed to add a second.
FK Slutsk vs FK Gorodeya ( Saturday at 12.00 UK time )
With Slutsk still to play Smolevichy at home, Gorodeya may feel they need to win to ensure they finish above Slutsk and avoid the relegation play-off. Their revamped line-up have won two on the trot. 0-1
Result : 0-1. A massive win for the village side in an unsurprisingly tight, niggly encounter. Gorodeya have gone back to the basics of battling for a clean-sheet and hoping to nick a goal, which Gabaraev's peach of a strike delivered three minutes before half-time. Slutsk were the better side in the second half but the closest they came to scoring was when Sajcic's attempted interception flew past his own keeper from 20 yards and struck the post. Slutsk's day was perhaps summed up when Koanda's wild shot nestled high up in a tree a long way behind the goal ! Its now three wins and three clean sheets for Gorodeya.
Dinamo Brest vs Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino ( Saturday at 14.00 UK time )
Potentially a crucial battle for third place with both sides on good runs. However Dinamo are on a roll and should be good for the 3 points. 2-0
Result : 2-3. A contender for match of the season. After a pulsating end-to-end first half it was a mystery as to how only one goal had been scored, Laptev reacted the quickest to head into an empty net after Noyok's rocket had crashed back off the bar. Torpedo's passing and movement was tremendous in the second half and a fantastic team move, helped with an advantage from the referee, ended with Antilevski squaring for Gabovda to finish from close range. Gabovda then ghosted in to dive and head in Veloso's bouncing cross to give Torpedo a deserved lead with just under twenty minutes to play. Dinamo came storming back and Laptev looked certain to score as he slid onto Pechenin's low cross but although Big Denis ended up in the net somehow the ball went wide. Laptev's day got worse when he headed wide from 6 yards from the centre of the goal, but three minutes from time he made amends with a dive worthy of marks of at least 5.9 to fool referee Kulbakov into a awarding a penalty. Gordejcuk tied the scores from the spot. With 4 minutes of added on time played another golden chance fell to Laptev but caught in two minds between chipping the keeper or crossing to the unmarked Krivets he did neither and the ball sailed harmlessly over. Torpedo went straight back to the other end of the pitch and Veloso picked out Khachaturyan free at the back post. His shot was blocked, but the ball looped kindly to Antilevski to hammer into the roof of the net for a dramatic finale to a breathless game.
Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs BATE Borisov ( Saturday at 16.00 UK time )
The title decider. It could go either way, and both sides are prone to wobbles. Expect a few twists and turns. 1-1 ??
Result : 1-1. Both sides will have mixed feelings about this result. BATE started strongly and took the lead after 25 minutes when Stasevich crossed to Nekhaychik to shoot under Gutor. Shakhtyor almost immediately equalised, Yakshiboev crossed to the unimpressive Junior Kabananga who put the simple chance wide before being clattered by the on rushing BATE keeper. No penalty was given but the chance should have been put away anyway. BATE controlled large parts of the game but were unable to create the decisive second goal. Shakhtyor staged a grandstand finish and when Filipenko brought down Arkhipov with 10 minutes left, Begunov nervelessly put the penalty away. Three minutes later Filipenko brought down Yakshiboev for an even more obvious penalty when he seemed either certain to score or roll the ball to Podstrelov who had an open goal, but ref Sergei Stetsurin waved play on. Two minutes later Yakshiboev then burst past Filipenko, who was worried about making another foul, but the Yak hit his shot straight at Chichkan from 5 yards, and the loose ball wouldn't fall to a Shakhtyor player in the ensuing scramble. With 5 minutes of injury time played, Podstrelov found space to shoot but although Chickhan saved, he didn't know much about it and the ball could have rolled into the net. Unfortunately for Shakhtyor it went off for a corner. Had another 5 minutes been played Shakhtyor probably would have won, but they left it too late to start playing !
Belshina Bobruisk vs Energetik BGU Minsk ( Sunday at 10.00 UK time )
Quite simply Belshina need to win over an Energetik side with nothing to play for. 2-1
Result : 1-5. Whilst the mathematicians will argue that Belshina can still stay in the Premier League, for all intents and purposes they are down following a limp display that demonstrated all their failings. Bad marking and profligate finishing are not usually a receipe for success. Energetik didn't need to be any better than competent to end a run of one point in 5 games. Belshina actually started brightly and Levitskiy was unlucky to see hit shot rebound back from the post but once Bakic was able to brush aside a weak challenge to give the visitors the lead after 18 minutes the result never seemed in doubt. Two goals from Musahagian and one from Yudchits made it 0-4, but Rekish's stunning left-footed drive gave Belshina a late consolation. However, there was still time for Umarov to restore the four goal advantage.
FK Slavia Mozyr vs Dinamo Minsk ( Sunday at 12.00 UK time )
An intriguing encounter. Slavia have shown good recent form to defeat Shakhtyor and draw with Dinamo Brest at home, whilst Dinamo Minsk are on a run that has brought them to the edge of the European places. 1-1
Result : 0-1. Dinamo chalked up their 5th consecutive win with a typical performance, strangling the life out of the game and then taking one of the few chances they created. Bakhar nearly gave them the lead at the end of the first half but his header was cleared off the line with Slavia keeper Romanyuk beaten. The match was decided 10 minutes from the end with substitute Shikavka making an immediate impact getting to the bye-line on the left to cross for Khvashchinskiy to side foot into the roof of the net from 8 yards.
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