BELARUSIAN FOOTBALL WEEEKEND FIXTURES - THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON IN THE SECOND LEAGUE

FIRST LEAGUE 

Saturday 10th October 

Khimik Svetlogorsk v Slonim 

Smorgon v Granit 

Lida v FC Gomel 

Sputnik v Arsenal 

Volna v Krumkachy 

Sunday 11th October

Oshmyany v Naftan

Orsha v Lokomotiv Gomel

FIRST LEAGUE - TOP FOUR ONLY 

POS	TEAM	P	G	GD	PTS	PP	FORM
1.	SPUTNIK RECHITSA	18	29-12	+17	40	64	WWWLW
2.	KRUMKACHY MINSK	18	33-19	+14	36	60	WWWWD
3.	FC GOMEL	19	41-17	+24	33*	54	LDWWW
4.	ARSENAL DZERZHINSK	18	37-15	+22	31	55	WDDDD

PROMOTION / PROMOTION PLAY OFF

* Five points deducted at the start of the season

Due to the International break there are no Premier League games this weekend so the focus moves to the First League and the battle for promotion to the top tier. The game of the weekend is undoubtedly Sputnik Rechitsa hosting cup heroes Arsenal Dzerzhinsk - Looking at the table the home side need a win to keep themselves on top of the table and the visitors need three points to stay in touch with FC Gomel who seem to have hit form at the right time.  

Earlier in the season they played each other and the score was 1-1. Former Smolevichy and FC Gomel scored for Sputnik in the fifth minute with Dmitri Osipenko, formerly of Shakhtyor and Isloch, scoring in the 83rd minute. 

If anything is going to stop Arsenal from being promoted it's them drawing too many games - seven of their eighteen league games have ended all square compared to Sputnik (4/18), Krumkachy (3/18) and FC Gomel (5/19) so I'd say they really need to win this game. 

FC Gomel who have scored seven goals in their last two league games are big favourites to win at Lida who have only won one game in their last eight games which was only 1-0 last time out against bottom of the table Khimik Svetlogorsk.

Their city rivals Lokomotiv Gomel are currently in fifth place - only three points behind so still have a chance of promotion - they travel to Orsha on Sunday. 

SECOND LEAGUE 

Wednesday 7th October

Ostrovets v Pershiy Region (??) 

All scheduled for Saturday 10th October

GROUP A 

Dynamo Malorita v Ostrovets 

Ivatsevichi v Pershiy Region (??) 

Kronon v Stenles Pinsk 

Meliorator Zhitkovichi v Baranovichi 

Molodechno v BGU Minsk

SECOND LEAGUE LEAGUE GROUP A - TOP FOUR ONLY 

POS	TEAM	P	G	GD	PTS	PP	FORM
1.	MOLODECHNO	19	56-16	+40	45	48	WWWWW
2.	BARANOVICHI	19	72-20	+52	44	47	LDWLW
3.	DYNAMO MALORITA	19	62-25	+37	41	44	WLWWW
4.	STANLES PINSK	19	58-23	+35	40	43	WLDLW

It's the final weekend of the regular season in the Second League with the top three in each division advancing to the end of the season play-offs. Molodechno and Baranovichi can both win the title with the current table toppers the favourites with their home game against BGU Minsk. 

Stanles Pinsk should win against Kronon who have only won twice this season which would mean Dynamo Malorita need to win their game at home to sixth placed Ostrovets who have won their last three league games by the combined scoreline of 12-0. However, Dynamo won versus Ivatsevichi 0-10 last weekend with former Rukh Brest and Dynamo Brest player Pavel Pampukha scoring four goals. 

DYNAMO BREST/MALORITA OR STANLES PINSK FOR THIRD PLACE? 

GROUP B 

Viktoriya Maryina Horka v Zhlobin 

SMI Autotrans v Dnepr Rogachev 

Osipovichy v Shakhtyor Petrikov 

Dnepr Mogilev v Energosbyt-BSATU 

Gorki v Bumprom

SECOND LEAGUE LEAGUE GROUP B - TOP FOUR ONLY 

POS	TEAM	P	G	GD	PTS	PP	FORM
1.	DNEPR MOGILEV	19	101-9	+92	54	57	WWLWW
2.	SHAKHYTOR PETRIKOV	19	76-16	+60	46	49	WWWLW
3.	OSIPOVICHY	19	44-31	+13	37	40	WWWLW
4.	GORKI	19	34-20	+14	34	37	WDWLW

In Group B it's DNEPR Mogilev who have already been crowned winners of the division with Shakhytor Petrikov runner's up. 

It's left to Osipovichy and Gorki to fight for third place. All Osipovichy need to do is either draw or win against Shakhtyor which will be a difficult task as Shakhtyor have won seven of their last eight games with their only defeat coming against DNEPR Mogilev. 

Should Osipovichy lose it will be Gorki who will take third place but they must win their game against Bumprom. The Head-2-Head record for the two favours Gorki who won both games 3-1 earlier in the season. 

At present I am unsure of how the play-offs work - It's slightly difficult finding out information. 

COULD GORKI SNEAK INTO THE PLAY-OFFS AT THE WEEKEND? 

Pershiy Region who are in the first season in the Second League have announced via their social media that they are "suspending their performances in solidarity with colleagues who for many years fought for the honour of Belarus in competitions that promoted our sport in the media field" (quoted from their VK account which was open letter to the ABFF). Their game against Molodechno was resulted as a 3-0 award to their opponents. 

The club was formed for players from the Brest Region playing and a commitment to Belarusian culture. They had hoped to play at The Olympus Stadium in the village of Koverdaki but that was not sanctioned by the ABFF and they have been playing in Brest for the season. 

Finally, a quick message must go out to all at Chayka Zelva who are the only side across the four Belarusian League divisions not to win a game this season. The Seagulls completed their season last weekend with a 0-5 defeat against Ostrovets. They did draw two of their twenty games played against Meliorator (1-1) and Kronon (2-2). Their worst results were 0-15 defeats against Stanles Pinsk and 0-13 Baranovici. I hope they return for the 2021 season and finally get a win on the board. Nepamora!!!