May 12, 2023
The Belarus Women’s Premier League had reached round 9 of fixtures, with the most competitive of today’s fixtures being the visit of improving Dinamo Brest to Vitebsk.
Dinamo Brest have been perennial strugglers since these diaries began covering the Belarus WPL in 2020 but they have been a lot more competitive this season. Part of this is down to their very young team getting more experience each season, but they have also signed some slightly older players so that they are no longer fielding side exclusively under the age of 21. Keeper Daria Vinograd has previously played for Isloch and FK Minsk, defender Ekaterina Chuyuk has played for Zorka, Anna Mukha played for ABFF Under 19s and FK Minsk, and midfielder Aleksandra Plokhova is Russian and has returned to football after a 6 year break, after having played for Zorka and Neman in the past.
Perhaps the most notable player in the Dinamo Brest side is Viktoria Sidorchuk. In May 2021, Sidorchuk turned her back whilst singing the national anthem before a match, a gesture in support of the two Belarussians arrested after a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius was “hi-jacked” and forced to land in Minsk, leading to their arrests. Sidorchuk was herself locked up for some days, sacked by her club and expelled from her University course. She fled to Poland and played for FK Pogon, but returned to Dinamo in 2022.
Dinamo have already registered two victories this season, having only won once in both 2021 and 2022, beating newcomers Pyussh PolesGu 3-0 and Gomel 5-0. The margin of their defeats has been narrowing, and last time out they lost “only” 0-3 to FK Minsk, having lost 0-12 in their last meeting in 2022.
Vitebsk joined the WPL in 2021 and finished 7th in their first season, and a very respectable 5th last season. Results have been disappointing so far this season though, with two expected victories over Pyussh PolesGu ( 13-0 ) and Gomel ( 4-0 ) and a 0-0 draw with ABFF U19, but losses against Zorka, Dnepr Mogilev, Smorgon and FK Minsk.
There is a lot of talent in the Vitebsk squad. Veteran play-maker Elena Buzinova won 9 caps whilst at Bobruichanka when they were the dominant side in the country, attacking-midfielder Natalia Vasiljeva scored 17 goals last season and is not shy of trying her luck from distance, striker Anastastia Evrezova scored 14 goals for ABFF U19 last season, and Ekaterina Yanchilenko has played for Neman and Dnepr Mogilev. 35-year-old left back Olga Vasiljeva returned to football last season, having stopped in 2014.
The temperature at the 13.00 local time kick-off was around 23 degrees and the weather was sunny. The match was being streamed live on the Belarus Women’s Football channel on YouTube.
The game was being played at Vitebsk’s training ground and the artificial surface looked rutted in a few sections. The ground is next to the main stadium in Vitebsk, which was visible behind one of the corner flags and goals, where some sort of event was taking place as a small crowd could be seen inside that ground. The Indoor Dome, where WPL matches are played at the start and end of the season, is also part of the sporting complex and was on the far side of the ground to where the camera was situated.
Dinamo were in pink shirts with white shorts and socks, whilst Vitebsk were in all-blue.
Vitebsk took early control, confidently passing the ball around, probing for openings. Dinamo were working hard to close down the player in possession whilst still retaining their defensive shape. However, it took Vitebsk just 6 minutes to open the scoring. Tolkun’s cross-field ball went over the head of Dinamo’s Andreyuk for Olga Vasiljeva to latch onto and deliver a deadly cross for Buzinova to volley home left-footed from 8 yards.
It took 10 minutes for Natalia Vasiljeva to have her first long-distance shot, cutting in from the left but her 25 yarder was tipped over the bar by Vinograd. The in-swinging corner from Yanchilenko caused panic in the Dinamo defence, but was cleared to Romanovich, but her 30 yard attempt was at the keeper who gratefully clasped to her stomach.
Three minutes passed before the next Vasiljeva attempt, this time from close to 30 yards, which narrowly went over the bar.
In the 16th minute Yanchilenko’s back-heel put Natalia Vasiljeva clear on the left wing, and this time she turned provider with a pin-point cross into the 6 yard-box, but Karpova somehow contrived to miss from close range. A minute later another Natalia Vasiljeva cross was headed away but only to Buzinova, but her effort from 8 yards was blocked by the Dinamo defence.
Vitebsk continued to push for a second goal but Yanchilenko sliced wide from 12 yards, and then with 24 minutes played a left-wing cross from Olga Vasiljeva was headed against the post from 6 yards by Evrezova. When the ball was reworked to Yanchilenko on the edge of the area, her effort was tipped over by Vinograd.
The two Vasiljeva’s continued to combine effectively down the left and another cross should have produced another goal, but the header from Karpova was weak and Vinograd was able to push the effort away. However, the second goal did come in the 37th minute as yet again Vitebsk profited on the left-hand side, and Olga Vasiljeva’s cross was glanced by Evrezova across goal into the far corner.
Vitebsk found the back of the net in the 41st minute when Yanchilenko’s free-kick was headed home by centre-back Yakushevich at the back post, but it was disallowed for off-side. The home side incredibly failed to add to their lead in the 44th minute, after Vinograd could only push a low cross onto a Dinamo defender and the rebound fell to Karpova three yards out, but somehow she put the ball over the bar.
The half-end with Natalia running onto Olga Vasiljeva’s ball from the half-way line but her left-footed shot crashed back from the base of the post.
Vitebsk should have gone into the dressing rooms with more than a two-goal lead, and Dinamo had rarely got into the opposition half. Vitebsk keeper Konak’s only touches had been from back passes.
Dinamo almost caused a surprise just a few moments into the second half as Livinyuk had possession in space in the right channel and attempted to find the supporting Sidorchuk, but her pass was intercepted and cleared for a throw-in. A minute later a long-ball looked to have put Evrezova clear but excellent defending by Katrosha forced the Vitebsk striker wide, and the Dinamo centre-back eventually took possession.
Vitebsk extended their lead in the 50th minute, Yakushevich was left unmarked at a corner and headed into the net from 6 yards, and their fourth goal arrived in the 56th minute as Buzinova’s high 25 yard effort wasn’t dealt with by Vinograd, who could only push the ball onto the underside of the bar, and into the net.
With the points secured, Vitebsk started to make substitutions but the chances continued to come. Vinograd this time did well to keep out a high 25-yard attempt by Natalia Vasiljeva and then a weak back-pass from Katrosha was pounced on by Evrezova, who proceeded to cross to set-up Mikhan, but the shot from 12 yards struck the keeper’s legs and bounced away to safety.
Dinamo almost claimed a consolation goal in the 66th minute. Sidorchuk ran from half-way and her pass put Plokhova in space on the left. From her ball into the 6 yard area, the chunky Litvinyuk was able to turn and prod under the diving Konak, but Yakushevich was on the line to stop the ball and then clear.
The final 20 minutes were fairly uneventful, apart from the obligatory long-range attempt from Natalia Vasiljeva that produced another safe from Vinograd, and Vitebsk coasted to the victory.
Dinamo Brest can take encouragement from their performance. Although chances to score were few, keeper Vinograd was generally sound and her handling of crosses was secure. Mukha and Katrosha looked a decent pairing at centre-back and Plokhova’s ability to control and keep possession was noticeable, whilst Sidorchuk was full of running and took up promising positions on several occasions.
Vitebsk looked strong going forward, especially on the left-hand side with the inter-play between the two Vasiljeva’s. Buzinova continues to give influential performances from midfield and Evrezova should score a lot of goals.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLc808Dx7Y8
Vitebsk : Konak – Romanovich ( Skrebkova ), Zavadskaya, Yakushevich, O.Vasiljeva – Karpova ( Petrova ), Tolkun ( Ignatenko ), Buzinova ( Mikhan ), N.Vasiljeva, Yanchilenko – Evrezova ( Belous )
Dinamo Brest : Vinograd – Chayuk, Mukha, Katrosha, Vazhinskaya – Andreyuk, Kazakh ( Ishchenko ), Plokhova, Sidorchuk – Gavrilova, Litvinyuk ( Tsesareva )
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