October 27, 30 & 31, 2021
FK Gomel 2-3 Shakhtyor Soligorsk ( att : 7,100 )
Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino 2-0 Slavia Mozyr ( att : 508 )
FK Minsk 0-3 Shakhtyor Soligorsk ( att : 300 )
Wednesday evening saw the long awaited catch-up game between arguably
the two most exciting sides in the Belarus Premier League and the game didn’t
disappoint. The fixture was postponed from early July to allow Shakhtyor
to prepare for their Champions League campaign, which actually resulted in 4
consecutive defeats, when many critics thought they would have been better off
playing fixtures rather than resting.
The two sides were still to meet in a league fixture, with the match in
Soligorsk scheduled for the last weekend of the season. However, Gomel recorded
a convincing 2-1 extra -time win in Soligorsk in the Belarus Cup when Shakhtyor
were under coach Sergei Gurenko, who has subsequently been replaced by Aleksey
Baga.
A win for Shakhtyor would officially confirm the title to the Miners,
whereas Gomel, who were still unbeaten at home, needed a victory to maintain
their outside hopes of a top three finish. Gomel were promoted to the Belarus
Premier League and have been a breath of fresh air, with Andreiy Solovei
scoring 16 times to earn a call-up to the national team. Their free-attacking
approach has seen goals scored all though their line-up, with midfielders Gomza
and Pobudey having added 8 and 5 goals respectively. Centre-back and captain
Ruslan Yudenkov’s impressive performances at the back had seen a call-up to the
national squad.
Despite being champions-elect, Shakhtyor had not been totally convincing
on their road to retaining their title. They won their first 13 matches,
without exactly demonstrating a WOW factor, but their failures in Europe saw a
change in coach which appeared to unsettle the squad. An embarrassing defeat in
Luxembourg, the Cup exit to Gomel, and 0-1 league away defeats to Rukh and BATE
saw the appointment of Aleksey Baga. In the meantime, the rot has been stopped,
and Shakhtoyr appeared to be sailing to their ceremonial elevation.
Gomel got off to a dream start in the first minute, with Andrei Solovei
twisting between Begunov and Filipenko to run clear on goal and beat Gutor with
ease. Gomel went on to totally dominate the first half but without adding to
their lead.
A mass melee broke out on the verge of half-time. Gutor gathered a weak
header before Gomza and Yudenkov could get to it, and there may have been a
very mild collision between the keeper and Gomza. The gut-less Gutor, true to
type, totally over-reacted and with Yudenkov walking away, needlessly pushed
the Gomel captain in the back. With players on both sides then getting involved
it took several minutes for the officials to regain control, and four yellow
cards were shown. Gutor was lucky his card was not a red one.
Shakhtyor improved in the second half, the introduction of Pejic and
Ahmedi playing a part in this, but it was still a bit of a surprise when they
equalised in the 65th minute. There didn’t appear to be any apparent
danger, but Filipovic turned and unleashed a 20 yard thunderbolt into the roof
of the net giving Ivanenko no chance, with Shakhtyor’s first shot on goal.
After a brief interruption when a cat ran onto the pitch, a lovely pass
from Ahmedi bisected the Gomel defence, and presented Skavysh the opportunity
to go clear on goal, and last season’s golden boot winner confidently finished
to give Shakhtyor the lead.
Gomel responded well, and with 12 minutes remaining, Pobudey’s shot
appeared to take a slight deflection before looping slowly past Gutor. It
looked like the match would finish with honours even, but in added on time
Filipovic reacted the quickest to turn home a corner for his second of the
evening, and only his third of the season, to give Shakhtyor the three points,
but more importantly the 2021 Championship.
For Gomel, it was a harsh way to lose their unbeaten home record, which
now leaves them hoping that Dinamo Minsk implode over their final three matches
if they are to have any chance of finishing in the top three.
Torpedo achieved
an important win over Slavia which should ensure they stay in the
Premier League, but put a massive dent in Slavia’s hopes of escaping the
relegation play-offs.
Slavia had the better of the early exchanges and Ossogo could have given
them the lead in the 25th minutes but he put the ball wide from 6
yards after sliding onto a cross from the right wing. Torpedo steadily got into
the game and took the lead in added on time. Premudrov floated a chip over
Slavia’s line of defenders for Dimitri Antilevksi to run onto, and with one
touch with his right foot to control the ball he then turned to score with an
exquisite finish with his left foot.
Torpedo extended their lead in the 56th minute when a clumsy
challenge by Tymonyuk sent Aleksey Antilevski cartwheeling, and Premudrov
confidently struck the penalty into the top corner. Despite a second yellow
card to Astakhov for a bad foul with just over 20 minutes left to play, Slavia
never really looked like getting back into the game, and Torpedo could even
afford to butcher a 3 on 1 in added on time.
If FK Minsk were hoping that Shakhtyor would be suffering
from a post title celebrations hangover then they were in for a big
disappointment as the champions, even with a much changed line-up, coasted to a
3-0 victory to leave Minsk deep in the relegation play-off mire.
Shakhtyor took the lead in the 28th minutes, Skavysh diving
forward to head home after Minsk keeper Prishivalko could only parry Kendysh’s
long-range effort. If Prishivalko was at
fault for the opening, he redeemed himself two minutes later with a marvellous
close range reaction save when Darboe looked certain to score.
The Minsk keeper might have done better to prevent Shakhtyor’s second goal
seven minutes into the second half. Prishivalko could only spill Djordje
Ivanovic’s low shot onto the base of the post whereupon Darboe reacted with a spectacular
back-heel to score. Minsk tried to rally but Kozlov badly missed the best of
the chances they created.
Shakhtyor put the game to bed 9 minutes from time when substitute Kolobaric ran onto a through a ball from Satara for a side-footed finish.
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