Monday 9 November 2020

BELARUSIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE - WEEKEND ROUND UP

It was once again a hugely entertaining weekend of football in the Belarusian Premier League as a total of twenty-seven goals were scored over the course of eight games played. 

In the clash of the title contenders it ended 1-1 at The Stroitel Stadium in front of 1,670 fans. Their is still a limit on spectators for the games being played - If thats for covid reasons or the current political situation in the country I can't confirm. 

BATE scored first in the 25th minute  when Pavel Nekhaychik calmly slotted the ball home from the right hand side of the penalty box. 

Shakhtyor played some good football but couldn't get past BATE's stern defence with their new signing centre forward Junior Kalonji making only his fourth start not having any luck - He was substituted on 53 minutes for Artem Arkhipov and from then the home side looked much the better side. 

They were rewarded on 81 minutes when Roman Begunov scored from the penalty spot to make it 1-1. It was Arkhipov who was brought down in the box by Aleksandr Filipovic. 

The Miners had a shout for another penalty kick only a few minutes later as Jasurbek Yakshibaev appeared to be tripped by Egor Filipenko. The referee waved away protests from the home side. If anything it looked more a penalty kick than the first one! 

The game ended 1-1 so now the title race goes to the final two games of the season with BATE having a home game against relegation threatened Belshina before a trip to Dymano Minsk on the final day of the season. Shakhtyor go to Rukh Brest and have a home game against a much improved FC Minsk side on the last day of the season. 


MATCH ACTION FROM THE MINSK DERBY WHICH FC MINSK WON 3-4 WITH A LAST MINUTE GOAL FROM SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD KIRILL ZINOVICH (Courtesy of @minsk1954 on Insta) 

In the race for the European spots it's extremely exciting and looks like it's going to go right down to the wire. 

The game between Dynamo Brest and Torpedo Belaz-Zhodino will go down as one of the best (if not the best!) of the season. It was a real end-to-end game with the feel of a cup tie with the home side taking a slender 1-0 lead thanks to Denis Laptev's goal into the second half. Torpedo knew anything but a win would probably put an end to their European hopes so when Ukrainian midfielder Yuriy Habovda scored twice in the 56th and 74th minute it was looking like they would take the all important three points. Some of the football and link up play they showed was some of the best I've seen in the league this season. 

The match wasn't over though as on Ukarinian Midfielder Alan Aussi slid in to tackle Laptev in the box but appeared to make no contact. Laptev fell to the floor and the referee controversially awarded a penalty kick. Mikhail Gordeychuk scored the resulting spot kick to make it 2-2 on 88 minutes. 

The drama wasn't over - With the match on 95 minutes Dmitri Antilevskiy slammed the ball home into the net from close range to make it 2-3 and secure a memorable victory for Torpedo and push them above last season's champions in the table. 

WHAT A WEEKEND FOR TORPEDO ZHODINO (Courtesy of @fctorpedobelaz on Insta)

At the bottom of the table Gorodeya got their third win in a row without conceding a goal with a slender 0-1 win at relegation rival's Slutsk. The three points could be all important at the end of the season. 

Belshina Bobruisk look doomed to relegation with a 1-5 home defeat to Energetyk. They can now only draw level with Slutsk - they would have to win both of their remaining games which is a huge ask considering they travel to BATE and then host Rukh Brest in the final game of the season. 

In Belarus if teams finish level on points it goes down to Head to Head records which stands at Slutsk W 3-2 and Belshina W 4-2 so that's Belshina 6 Slutsk 5. 

RESULTS 

Friday 6th November
Isloch 3-4 Minsk (250) 
Vitebsk 0-0 Rukh Brest (544) 

Saturday 07th November
Smolevichy 1-4 Neman Grodno (125) 
Slutsk 0-1 Gorodeya (450) 
Dynamo Brest 2-3 Torpedo Zhodino (2542) 
Shakhtyor 1-1 BATE (1670) 

Sunday 08th November 
Belshina 1-5 Energetyk-BGU (312) 
Slavia 0-1 Dynamo Minsk (950) 

BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE CURRENT TABLE 
(TOP SIX AND BOTTOM FOUR ONLY)
POSTEAM GF-GA GDPTS PP FORM 
1.  BATE BORISOV 2860-32 +28 54 60WLDWD 
2. SHAKHTYOR  28 51-18 +33 5359 LLWWD
3.  NEMAN GRODNO28 39-26+135056WWLLW
4.  TORPEDO ZHODINO28 50-35+1550 56 WLWWW
5.  DYNAMO BREST 28 56-38+18 48 54 WWWDL
6. DYNAMO MINSK  28 35-23+12 48 54 WWWWW
BOLD denotes Champions and Champions League place for 21/22. 
Denotes Europa League place for 21/22

POSTEAMPGF-GAGDPTSPPFORM 
13. GORODEYA 28 27-42 -15 30 36 LDWWW 
14.  SLUTSK  2831-54-2327 33 WLLWL
15.  BELSHINA  28 30-58 -28 21 27 LDLLD 
16. (R)SMOLEVICHI 28 27-69 -42 14 20 LLLLLL 
BOLD denotes relegation places. Denotes relegation play-off.

BELARUSIAN FIRST LEAGUE CURRENT TABLE (TOP FOUR ONLY) 

POSTEAM GD PTS PP FORM 
1.SPUTNIK 2239-13+2652 64WWWWW
2.FC GOMEL2455-19+3548*54WWWWW
3.KRUMKACHY2443-27+164652WLWLW
4.ARSENAL 2436-26+104046WLWLW
BOLD denotes promoted, * denotes five points deducted, denotes promotion/relegation play-off.

In the First League it was celebration time for Sputnik Rechitsa as their 0-1 win at Lida secured them (at least) a spot in the top two of the table. Their head to head record with third placed Krumkachy Minsk reads W 2-0 and W 2-1 meaning only FC Gomel could finish above them as it stands. A win for them at Volna on Wednesday would give them the First League title. 

Krumkachy can still finish in second place but it's looking like FC Gomel may well pip them to the post and regain their Premier League status they lost in 2019. 

RESULTS 

Saturday 7th November
Lida 0-1 Sputnik (100) 
Oshmyany 0-6 Lokomotiv Gomel (150) 
Granit 1-4 Gomel (98) 
Orsha 3-2 Volna (100) 

Sunday 8th November
Slonim 0-1 Arsenal (250) 
Smorgon 1-3 Krumkachy (150) 
Khimik Svetlogorsk 0-1 Naftan (100) 

2021 WILL SEE THE CITY OF RECHITSA WITH A TEAM IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE IN BELARUS - FC RECHITSA WERE MEMBERS OF THE TOP TIER FROM 1992 TO 1996 AND 2000 TO 2011. 


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