September 17, 18 & 19, 2021
Perhaps the most important match of the season so far takes place on Saturday as BATE
host Shakhtyor. A win for the Soligorsk side would almost certainly ensure they
retain their title. However, a victory for BATE would see them top the table, and although Shakhtyor would still have three games in hand, they face some
tough fixtures in the run-in, and their form since playing in European
competitions has been moderate at best.
It’s Rukh’s
turn for the 3-0 default win over Sputnik, so that will also reduce the gap at
the top should Shakhtyor suffer a mishap, and Dinamo Minsk will be expecting
to overcome Isloch to also keep breathing down Shakhtyor’s neck.
Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino
vs Energetik BGU Minsk ( Friday @ 18.00 UK time )
Two sides on poor
runs, although Torpedo did manage to beat an FK Minsk side on an even worse run
last week. Home advantage. 1-0
Result : 0-1. Energetik eliminated any final lingering
relegation concerns with a convincing with over a disappointing Torpedo side firing blanks.
Energetik had all the best chances in the first half with their two Uzbks to the fore. Abdukhalikov saw a header cleared off the line, and then shot wide
after a flick from Ubaydullaev put him clear.
Energetik took the lead in the 28th minute, a lovely cross by Ubaydullaev resulted in a smart header by Abdukhalikov into the opposite corner.
With a half-time lead, three
minutes into the second half, Abdukhalikov missed open goal, with his shot clipping the top of the bar. However, despite these misses,
Energetik comfortably held on for three points.
FK Slutsk vs FK Gomel
( Saturday @ 13.00 UK time )
With 7 points in their
last 4 matches, Slutsk are inching towards safety. Gomel have won three on the
trot though and are chasing a place in Europe. 1-2
Result : 1-4. Andrei
Solovei was the difference between the two sides, with an assist and a second half
hat-trick as Gomel continued their push for a place in Europe. Gomel took a
first half lead when Slutsk keeper Gomelko failed to push Kostrov’s shot off
for a corner and the alert Solovei retrieved and passed across the face of the
goal to leave Gomza with a tap-in. Solovei’s first goal was a tremendous solo
effort, skipping past a number of defenders before finishing from an acute
angle. His second was a top quality finish from just inside the edge of the
area into the opposite corner, and his third saw a cheeky chip over the
on-rushing keeper after being put clear by a long ball, leaving a simple side-foot
into the empty goal. Solovei now has 14 league goals for the season.
Gomel could have
scored a bag-full and Nekrasov struck the bar after a mazy run, but to be fair to Slutsk, Sasin, Balanovich and Klochkov all
missed chances for them. Stephen Alfred, Slutsk’s top-scorer came off the bench
after not having figured in their last 6 matches, and scored a consolation goal
with 2 minutes left after Bobko’s pass gave him an open goal.
Dinamo Brest vs FK Slavia
Mozyr ( Saturday @ 15.00 UK time )
Time is starting to
run out for Slavia who have just one win in their last 12 games, and desperately
need the three points. Dinamo have drawn 6 times at home but could put another
nail in Slavia’s coffin. 2-1
Result : 0-3. A
fantastic result for Slavia, with yet again Francis Narh being heads and
shoulders above everyone else, and with two goals he moved to 8 for the season.
For Dinamo, after their promising first half to the season, the final curtain
on 2021 probably can’t come soon enough as they slumped to a lame defeat in
front of their lowest crowd of the season.
Slavia got off to the
perfect start, Ovono Essongo’s back-heel set-up Zhuk to fire home the opening
goal in the 5th minute. Narh had twice gone close, before doubling
Slavia’s lead with a tremendous goal. After robbing Shapoval of possession, he launched
a 20 yard pile-driver that Stepanov had no chance of stopping.
Slavia could have been
five ahead at half-time but for good saves by Stepanov and the crossbar. Dinamo
were limited to optimistic long range efforts, before Melnikov had the vision
to see Narh with the freedom to Brest to his left, and his pass left the
Ghanaian with a side-footed finish to seal the victory.
BATE Borisov vs
Shakhtyor Soligorsk ( Saturday @ 17.00 UK time )
Most neutrals will be
cheering for a BATE win to prevent the title race being all but over. Neither
side have been convincing recently, but BATE have won 10 out of 12 at home. 1-0
Result : 1-0. BATE
probably just deserved to win a poor game played in dreadful condition, where
neither side seriously troubled the opposition goal-keeper until the final moments. The winning goal came
in the 91st minute after a dreadful error by Shakhtyor keeper Gutor,
who had been restored to starting line-up, but probably for not too much longer.
Umarov’s speculative cross looked harmless enough, and a braver keeper than
Gutor would have come and gathered. Instead, he allowed it to bounce, and it
snuck just inside the post.
Shakhtyor have now
only won once in their last 4 games after looking invincible in winning 13 of
the first 14 games. The title race is far from over !
Dinamo Minsk vs FK
Isloch Minsk ( Sunday @ 14.00 UK time )
Dinamo have won 8 out
of 11 at home. Isloch have won only 2 out of their last 14 matches. 2-0
Result : 2-1. A
scarcely deserved victory for Dinamo after a strangely lacklustre performance with
the scoreline being harsh on Isloch. Despite Dinamo having most of the possession,
it was Isloch that created the better chances on the counter attack, and
Gorbachik and Sosah could easily have given the visitors the lead.
Dinamo opened the
scoring in 65th minute with a well taken goal, Lozhkin’s delicate
flick converted a threatening cross from Batsula. Lozhkin was then guilty of a
terrible miss that should have settled the result, and Putilo’s chip hit the crossbar.
It looked like Dinamo
would be made to pay for these misses when with three minutes to play, a clumsy
challenge by Shevetsov felled Sosah, and the Ghanaian got up to convert the
spot-kick. However, Dinamo were spurred into action and within a minute Batsula
delivered a perfect cross for Bykov to score with a glancing header to take the
three points and keep Dinamo in the title picture.
FK Vitebsk vs FK Minsk
( Sunday @ 16.00 UK time )
With no goals and no
points in their last 5 games, FK Minsk might be hoping for another Vitebsk 0-0.
However, Vitebsk have scored 8 goals in their last 4 games and should pile on
more misery for Minsk. 2-0
Result : 3-1. Minsk actually
scored with a 5th minute header from Muniru, and held on to the lead
until half-time, despite Vitebsk missing a number of good chances and Rassadkin
hitting the bar. However, Minsk eventually succumbed to a predictable defeat in
the second half.
The rot set-in with a
header from Lebedev that Prishivalko really ought to have saved but it somehow
bounced and beat him at his near post, before Ksenofontov beat two defenders to
fire Vitebsk into the lead. Wanderson’s header in the 90th minute
sealed the inevitable.
Neman Grodno vs FK
Smorgon ( Sunday @ 18.00 UK time )
Neman’s winning run came to a limp end at Isloch last
weekend, but it is a tough ask for Smorgon to get something in Grodno despite grabbing
two draws in their last two away games. 2-1
Result : 5-0. Neman showed that the adverse result at
Isloch was a blip, and by thumping Smorgon racked up their 5th win
in 6 games. On this evidence, Smorgon are doomed to relegation.
Smorgon held out for 40 minutes, until Yakimov’s swerving
free-kick deceived Scherbachenya. However, after Sadonichiy forced home a
second from close range two minutes into the second half the result became a
formality. Further goals from Dzhigero, Gribovskiy and Suchkov delivered the
coup de grace.
Summary :
Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino 0-1 Energetik BGU Minsk ( att : 368 )
FK Slutsk 1-4 FK Gomel ( att : 210 )
Dinamo Brest 0-3 FK Slavia Mozyr ( att : 2,145 )
BATE Borisov 1-0 Shakhtyor Soligorsk ( att : 4,211 )
Dinamo Minsk 2-1 FK Isloch Minsk ( att : 880 )
FK Vitebsk 3-1 FK Minsk ( att : 400 )
Neman Grodno 5-0 FK Smorgon ( att : 310 )
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZEo3v1fFEE
Comments
BATE moved to the top of the table after their last
gasp victory over Shakhtyor, leading by one point but having played three more
games than the Soligorsk outfit. Wins for Dinamo Minsk and Gomel, plus the
default win for Rukh kept all of their hopes alive, given Shakhtyor’s
unconvincing form and tough run of fixtures to come. Given BATE have also been inconsistent,
the title could go to any of the chasing pack who can finish the season
strongly.
At the bottom, Slavia’s excellent win at Dinamo
Brest brought them closer to Slutsk as well as free-falling FK Minsk, who must
now also be considered to be a candidate for the relegation play-off spot. Minsk’s match next week against Slutsk could
have a huge bearing for the rest of their season. Smorgon’s chances of escape
now look remote.
In the 7 matches, there were 22 goals, no red cards and no penalties.
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