Welcome back to another blog on Belarusian Football!!! This week it is a look back a Round 14 as the season fast approaches the halfway stage, and it is still as tight as ever!!! Lets have a looksy at what happened this weekend shall we…..
Round Fourteen – Friday 19th June
Slavia 2 Smolevichy STI 1
Hosts Slavia were coming into this one having lost there last two games, and they were up against a Smolevichy side searching for a second win of the season and three points to take them closer to Minsk who occupied that play off relegation spot. Slavia themselves were only two points ahead of Minsk before kick-off, so they knew a win was most important too. The opening half saw the visitors miss some guilt edged chances and should have been three goals up at least come the half time break, so would they be made to rue those missed chances? Well, yes because five minutes after the restart a much improved Slavia side from the opening half took the lead when after Shevchenko’s shot was blocked by a defenders hand, resulting in the award of a penalty kick, Slyusar stepped up to net the spot kick and the hosts led. The response from the visitors was swift though as barely two minutes later they did find the net finally when Vakulich fired a bobbling effort into the far corner, and we were back to all square again. But this crazy five-minute period yielded another goal as the hosts restored their one goal lead after substitute Tetteh headed home a cross from the right. It had been a mad start to the second period, but this would prove to be the winning goal as Slavia picked up a big three points and left Smolevichy scratching their heads as to how they lost this game. Simple answer was their lack of composure in front of goal, as on another day they could have won this game comfortably. Maybe this is why they still find themselves second bottom and six points behind Minsk, and if Belshina shock leaders BATE on Sunday, they would sink to the bottom of the division.
Slutsk 0 Neman Grodno 1
The hosts form over the last few weeks has been nothing short of alarming and after two points from their last six games, they were heading towards the wrong end of the table very quickly indeed. The visitors in contrast were flying after a difficult start and were gunning for their fifth straight win here and third spot (temporarily) too, which was a huge incentive. Slutsk missed a good early chance to take the lead and relieve some pressure perhaps, whilst Neman saw a decent effort tipped over, but on the half hour mark the visitors edged ahead after Zabelin headed home, and the hosts must have been thinking ‘here we go again’. Neman did have openings to double their lead too, were as Slutsk created very little after there early chance to take the lead, and things would get worse for the hosts too as in the second period they saw Krivulkin sent-off after receiving a yellow, his second, for kicking the ball away in frustration, and then not long after that went down to nine men after Kozlov was also shown a second yellow for what the referee adjudged to be a foul. In my view the referee was losing his head a bit and some of the yellows were awful decisions, in fact they were not even fouls in my view. Krivulkin’s first yellow was certainly extremely harsh, so it probably felt like the world was against the home side, especially after the last few weeks. That Zabelin header though proved enough for the visitors to notch up five straight wins, and third spot for now, whilst for Slutsk it’s five defeats in seven and ninth for now, and if others below them start picking up points it could be very serious for them indeed unless they can pick up a win from somewhere.
Round Fourteen – Saturday 20th June
Isloch 2 Torpedo BelAZ 2
Two of Saturday’s match up’s came from Minsk, and the first one was between an Isloch side who were looking for back to back wins following last weekend’s 1-0 at Minsk, whilst Torpedo were just trying to right a small slide after just one win from four with the points here, and go level on points with second placed Shakhtyor. Both sides created openings in the first forty five minutes but it was Torpedo who led at the break thanks to the retuning Ramos, who side footed home after a cut back from the left eight minutes before half time, but eight minutes after the break Isloch levelled when Kuzmenok sent a powerful header home. Sadly for the hosts they weren’t on parity for very long as a stupid challenge from their keeper resulted in a penalty kick for Torpedo, and that man Ramos stepped up to slam home the spot kick and restore his sides advantage. A frustrated Isloch then saw Stephen, who had been having a decent game, red carded for a second yellow after stupidly kicking the ball away after a decision went against him, and it meant the hosts would have to try and find a way back into this one a man light with just over fifteen minutes left to play. They kept fighting though and got their rewards two minutes from time when Kuzmenok was on hand to control a free kick before turning and firing superbly into the bottom corner to at least grab Isloch a point from this one. Torpedo would have been frustrated though not to have held on against ten men, and this means it’s now three games without a win as they occupied fourth for now, four points off the lead as it stood at that point.
Dinamo Brest 3 Gorodeya 1
Hosts Dinamo, last seasons champions of course, having brought themselves right back into the title race and European spots too following a run of three successive wins, and they were looking to join second placed Shakhtyor on 25 points with a fourth successive win here against a Gorodeya side who themselves came into this one after winning for the first time in two months last weekend, albeit against a very out of sorts Slutsk outfit. The match itself began in what can only be described as monsoon like conditions and although this stopped a few minutes after kick off, it left a very greasy surface which would make things interesting. Dinamo though on paper were big favourites to win this one, but last week’s win had given Gorodeya huge confidence, and it showed here, as just before the half hour mark Arkhipov, scorer of two last weekend, sent a header at the hosts goal and saw the keeper fail to keep it out and the visitors had a shock lead!!! How would the hosts respond, well two of their previous three wins had come after going behind, so they knew they could do it, and barely a minute after they conceded they levelled this one up after a cross saw Laptev head back across goal for the ever committed Milevski to nod over the line from a yard out. It had been a decent half of football despite being played in difficult conditions and the visitors were more than playing their part, and at the start of the second period Gorodeya should of gone in front after missing two decent openings in the opening five minutes. Dinamo though would find a second midway through the half, this after they had struck the bar, when a cross was converted by Laptev and the roar that greeted this told you how much it meant. Five minutes afterwards they increased their lead, when after the visitors saw a free-kick tipped over, a shout for a penalty was waved away and Dinamo broke in devastating fashion, ending with Gordeychuk firing home and kill off the brave visitors. Gorodeya to their credit kept coming though, although were always susceptible to a counter attack from the hosts, and although the visitors then hit the bar twice in a matter of seconds at the end, Dinamo had done enough to take another three points and put themselves right into the title race after looking totally out of it only a few weeks ago. The visitors certainly made them work hard for this though and had more than enough openings to maybe grab something here, so they can take plenty of positives from this despite defeat.
Dinamo Minsk 0 Enrgetyk BGU 0
The final game on Saturday and the second from the capital of the day saw Dinamo looking for a third straight win and a place in the top six at the expense of opponents Energetyk who were going through a rough patch and had not scored a goal in five halves of football. The opening half saw the hosts with a best of the chances, including one where they somehow missed when clean through on goal, whilst the second half saw Energetyk hit the bar as they had the better chances in the second period. Neither side could convert any openings they created though, meaning Saturday’s action would end with a goalless draw in the Dinamo Stadium. Dinamo then remained seventh and three points and a place behind sixth placed Energetyk who now have not found the old onion bag for 315 minutes of football, which would have been unthinkable a few weeks ago.
Round Fourteen – Sunday 21st June
Belshina 0 BATE 2
On paper this looked like a nailed on away win, the hosts sat bottom of the table with just six points from thirteen games whilst BATE were league leaders looking to go five clear of second placed Shakhtyor ahead of their game later in the day and stretching their unbeaten run to twelve games. Football isn’t played on paper though is it and the hosts came into this one having stunned Energetyk in Minsk last weekend for their first win of the season, whilst BATE had drawn their last two, including last weekend’s titanic tussle with Shakhtyor, so a negative result here against the bottom side could make them doubt perhaps? Well the opening twenty minutes suggested the hosts confidence from last week was still up as they thumped an effort against the crossbar in only the third minute, then then headed against the post on twenty minutes as the hosts settled much quicker, but BATE were always going to settle eventually and after missing a decent close range chance they went in front in the 27th minute when skipper Stasevich struck a brilliant effort into the bottom corner. This began a good spell for the league leaders who missed two brilliant chances to edge further ahead before the half was done, but could not, so the lead was still only one heading into the second period. And it was a period that although started with BATE forcing a good save from the hosts keeper, Belshina probably had the better of it and created some decent openings but could not find a way through. And with seven minutes remaining BATE sealed the points and breathed a sigh of relief, and it was a poor goal for the home side to give away as a ball into the mixer by Stasevich saw keeper and defender collide going for the ball, and the loose ball ended up in front of goal and allowed Nekhaychik the easiest goal of his career as he duly thumped it over the line. BATE then picked up the points and moved five clear of second place ahead of the late game on Sunday, but were made to work very hard for it by a Belshina side who had the better of the game for two thirds of the contest. They remain bottom with six points but can take many positives from this performance, and if they take this into the second half of the season will give themselves a great chance of picking up points and getting out of danger. A lot of work to do though but anything is possible!!!
Vitebsk 1 Minsk 0
The hosts come into this one six unbeaten and ended a run of five successive draws with victory in Brest last weekend and notching their first three points since Round Five, and knowing that a win would send them up to seventh and just outside the top six and four points off the European spots. For Minsk it was all about trying to get out of that third bottom position and avoid three straight defeats after back to back losses against Dinamo Brest and Isloch. Three points would see Minsk jump two places for now and with games in hand maybe start to make up places in the table, but they were on the back foot early on in this encounter and after twelve minutes conceded a penalty after Minsk forward Khvaschinsky blocked a goal bound effort with his arm, and Nicolaescu struck home the spot kick as Vitebsk had a good start to this one. A fact given to me by Shakhtyor’s English twitter account said that both players were on loan from their side, so Khvaschinsky helped his fellow on loan striker to top scorer in the division, so that was an interesting fact!!! The former had Minsk’s only real effort on goal in the opening half as they slowly got themselves into the contest, but saw his decent effort saved, but the hosts missed a couple of openings themselves to make it 2-0 so as the game went into the second period there was still only one goal in it. The game though ended up being a battle and wasn’t the prettiest as the foul count went up and up, and although both saw chances they weren’t that clear cut, but they were certainly giving it all in a physical sense. Vitebsk though did hold on and record back to back victories, and now are seven unbeaten as they climb up to seventh and now only four points off third place and the last European spot, whilst Minsk remain third bottom (relegation play off zone), six above the drop zone and two points behind the teams above them but with an extra game or two to play, but they have to win those. Three defats in a row for them now, they must change this around soon.
Shakhtyor 1 Ruh Brest 1
The final game of Round 14 saw second placed Shakhtyor five points behind leaders BATE at kick off after they had won earlier in the day, and they were up against a side who had not won in five and had slid to only two points above the relegation play off zone (Minsk) so knew they needed to get back to winning ways soon. The hosts had come into this one after there epic top of the table clash against BATE last weekend and they looked to extend their unbeaten run to ten games, and after Rukh saw an early effort blocked, the hosts should have been three up in eleven minutes but missed some unbelievable chances. The remainder of the half saw the hosts miss countless chances to take the lead, although the visitors did head home through Diallo but saw the flag go up, before a corner was headed off the line in what was a frenetic opening forty five minutes. The hosts missed more chances in the second period as it looked like one of those days for them, and it looked like it would be a day where they wouldn’t get anything from it as Rukh took a 72nd minute lead after Diallo was left unmarked six yards out and he couldn’t miss. But four minutes after that the hosts responded brilliantly when a through ball found Lisakovich who dinked beyond keeper Stepanov who had finally been beaten and the hosts had time to win it you felt. Stepanov, who made some brilliant saves throughout, made his best one not long after that equaliser as a ball from substitute Bodul found Lisakovich who looked for all the world he had scored again, but the keeper stuck out a hand to tip the effort brilliantly wide of the far post. The visitors themselves were looking more threatening by this time too and had their moments, but it ended all square and it was a point each. Shakhtyor then did cut the gap to four to the leaders but really will feel this is two points dropped after a frustrating day in front of goal, whilst for Rukh it’s a point but six games without a win now, but it was a point well-earned today.
Here is the table after this weekend’s action:-
BATE then increase their lead to four points, whilst behind them only four points separate Shakhtyor in second and Vitebsk in seventh. Amazing to think as well that Dinamo Minsk in eighth and Isloch in ninth are only five points off a European spot, it really is tight isn’t it. Down at the bottom Belshina remain bottom and a point behind Smolevichy, then there is a six-point gap to third bottom Minsk in the relegation play off zone. The bottom two have played well lately but if they cannot turn this into wins, they are in danger of being cut adrift, so big games to come for them. One of those games in hand for Minsk is against Smolevichy, and they still have to play twice so those games could well decide each other’s fate. Slutsk, Slavia, Rukh and Gorodeya are now in a critical time, win a couple and they can start looking upwards, lose a couple and they could be dragged into the fight towards the bottom. We are almost halfway now, and it’s looking like the second half could be very exciting!!!
Here are Round fifteen’s fixtures are the season reaches the half way stage:-
Friday 25th June
Energetyk BGU Vs Slavia (3pm)
Smolevichy STI Vs Slutsk (5pm)
Saturday 26th June
Minsk Vs Shakhtyor (2.30pm)
Neman Grodno Vs Dinamo Brest (4.30pm)
BATE Vs Dinamo Minsk (6.30pm)
Sunday 27th June
Torpedo BelAZ Vs Vitebsk (2pm)
Ruh Brest Vs Belshina (4pm)
Gorodeya Vs Isloch (6pm)
My game of the weekend comes on Saturday afternoon at Stadion Neman as fourth placed Neman Grodno host third placed Dinamo Brest. The hosts have won five in a row whilst last years champions have won four straight, so this proves to be a pretty good match up. Anyway that’s all for this week so see you next week for a look back at Round 15.
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