Yes, I decided to do a blog on Round Nine of the BPL, could not help myself could I. Now there was a worry that last weekend would be my only weekend of enjoying some Belarusian Football when the worrying news came that a FC Minsk player has tested positive for Covid-19 which meant the whole squad were placed into isolation, so their Friday evening match at home to Neman Grodno was postponed.
Rumours were also circulating that Godfrey Stephen of Isloch tested positive too, but turned out to be just a rumour, and another player from the same squad, Alex Makas, had been absent for two weeks with ‘pneumonia’.
Down at Torpedo BelAZ, rumours circulating told that Vladimir Bushma and Mikhail Afanasyev may also be infected, and then Isloch player Momo Yansane tweeted the Thursday before this weekend “I inform you that several members of our club are sick of Covid 19, I wish them good health. I want sanitary measures including quarantine for several days before any continuity. May God help! #coronavirus #Survivor”
Now after that claim the club came out and denied the claims of the player and all the players tested negative before the weekend, and the two Torpedo players mentioned were indeed sick but were not confirmed as Covid-19.
So, after all this the weekend was agreed to be continued as planned, apart from the FC Minsk Vs Neman Grodno game, and we wish the player in question and the squad all the best in the coming weeks.
We all know how serious the Covid-19 situation is and how threatening it is, but the authorities in Belarus obviously feel they are doing things the right way so the show must go on, for now at least, so let’s actually talk about the football that happened, starting with Friday afternoon’s Round Nine opener……
Round Nine - Friday 15th May
Torpedo BelAZ 3 Gorodeya 1
Ironically one of the teams involved in the rumours, Torpedo, were involved in the opening game of Round Nine, and they did not seem to miss the two absent ill players as they went top for 24 hours after they defeated ten man Gorodeya. The hosts went in front on the half hour when Velozu tapped home from a yard out after a low cross into the six yard box, and moments after things got harder for the visitors when Sazonovich scythed down Ramos in full flight and was shown a second yellow. Torpedo dominated for the majority and doubled their lead nine minutes after the break after Velozu netted another when tapping home after a lovely move with the dangerous Ramos again involved, but with just over fifteen minutes remaining Gorodeya pulled one back to harbour thoughts of a remarkable come back when after being awarded a rather soft penalty, Sajcic rammed home the rebound after the keeper had saved the spot kick with his legs. But, any thoughts of a recovery were dashed three minutes later as a poor defensive clearance fell into the path of Khachaturyan who rammed home the loose ball, and the points were headed for the hosts.
So it’s now five wins and only one defeat for the hosts Torpedo who sure look like mounting a challenge for the title, whilst for Gorodeya it’s four defeats from nine and only six goals scored in that time although they have only conceded ten in nine so if they can find a goal scorer they should be comfortably mid table perhaps.
Round Nine – Saturday 16th May
Energetik BGU 2 Dinamo Brest 1
The opening game on Saturday saw hosts BGU defeat last year’s champions Brest as the visitor’s indifferent start to their defence of the title continued, much to the disgust of some of their fans. The hosts, who won at previous leaders Slutsk last weekend, took the lead just before the break when a tricky cross was not dealt with by the keeper and Bakic headed into the empty net. That lead was doubled early on in the second period by Yudchits, and although Brest saw Kislyak pull one back with the final kick of the game, the points went to the visitors who at that point rose to second in the table, level on points with the leaders, and looking very good right now. For the visitors, it is a fourth defeat in nine as they reside in mid table, seven points off the leaders, and with some calling for the managers head already. How things can change eh? They have much work to do if they want to reclaim that title won only last season.
Shakhtyor 2 Slavia 0
The second game on Saturday saw the hosts take all three points after they defeated the eventual ten-man visitors. The hosts are now in with a bunch of teams vying for the top few spots, and they lead at the break thanks to a 32nd minute goal from Lisakovich, and with twenty minutes remaining the visitors were dealt a big blow thanks to an appalling decision from the referee. Malkevich lost his footing and fell into a tackle with an opponent, and both crashed into each other, with the opponent coming off worse. After consultation with the his assistant, the referee gave Malkevich a second yellow and dismissed him from the field, motioning he had jumped into the tackle, absolutely ludicrous in my view, but they would have to play the final twenty with ten. And with three minutes remaining the hosts finally sealed the deal when Balanovich drilled home, and the hosts are well placed in the top six following this result. The visitors are in mid table.
BATE 3 Slutsk 0
The final game came from Borisov as the top two at the start of Round Nine did battle at the Borisov Arena and saw the hosts net goals through Milic, skipper Stasevich and Nekhaychik to go back top of the table by a point after losing it on Friday night. Now visitors Slutsk had surprised a few with their electrifying start to the season and went into last weekend top of the pile having had won five of their seven games, but last weekend’s defeat at home to Energetik had seen them loose top spot to BATE, so this was a big one even if so early on in the season. The hosts finished runners up last season and are determined to put that right this term, and they looked like a team with a point to prove early on as they flew out of the traps and led after just four minutes when Milic tapped home at the far post. And the lead was doubled midway through the half when the brilliant Skasevich whipped a wonderful free-kick into the top corner and almost increased moments after when a header was ruled out, and for the opening half hour Slutsk could get nowhere near their opponents. The latter part of the opening half saw BATE become sloppy and allow the visitors some hope of pulling a goal back, which they couldn’t do, and although the hosts didn’t really get out of first gear in the second period and allowed Slutsk a lot of the ball, they did add a clinching third twenty minutes from time as Nekhaychik ran onto a knockdown to thump home. The visitors day was summed up late on as well when they had a corner which ended with the taker stumbling as he went to send the corner into the box, and it ended going off for a goal kick only yards in front of him, whoops. BATE then will end the weekend on top of the pile for the second week running, whilst for Slutsk, who were top themselves only last weekend, could end the weekend as low as fifth having lost two in a row after only losing one of their first seven. Still a win next week could see that all change once again.
Round Nine – Sunday
Belshina 1 Vitebsk 1
Sunday began with a game between bottom side Belshina and Vitebsk, a team in the lower half of the table. The hosts were without a win in their eight games so far and it remained the same after this one as a Cesar goal twelve minutes from time cancelled out an earlier Glebko spot kick to see the points shared in this one. The opening half was not exactly an inspiring half of football (a trend which continued throughout Sunday’s fixtures, but please read on!!!) although there were plenty of fouls and booking’s on offer, and when the hosts did have the ball in the net early in the second period, the flag had gone up. But, in the 63rd minute the bottom side won a penalty when a handball was given, and Glebko stepped up to emphatically convert, and the hosts sensed a first win was in sight, sadly though for them this was not forthcoming as in the 78th minute a free-kick on the edge of the box was parried by the keeper, but straight into the path of Cesar who had the simple job of side footing into the empty net from close range. The hosts then saw Yasiukevich sent off late on for a second yellow after a cynical foul on he edge of his own box, but it finished all square and it’s only a third point for the hosts, so it’s one more on the board as you say, but surely that first win is just around the corner. The visitors point sees them sit in tenth, only four points off the top four and eight points above the drop zone.
Dinamo Minsk 1 Isloch 0
The second game on Sunday saw a Dinamo Minsk side who sat in fourth bottom at kick off taking on a side who could climb into fourth with a victory here. But a Bakhar goal on the hour mark handed the hosts a priceless win which took them up to ninth and only six points from the European spots, showing just what three points can do in this league currently. Minsk did more of the pressing in the opening half and did miss two decent openings inside the opening ten minutes, and although Isloch flashed a chance across goal, the visitors did most of the defending in a goalless opening forty five minutes. Isloch’s band of supporters, one of whom was waving a Union Jack with the words ‘Isloch Loyal’ printed on it, made a lot of noise for so few folk, but their side fell behind on the hour mark when a through ball saw Bakhar run onto it and fire into the net via the keepers hand. But with just over fifteen minutes remaining the hosts saw Olekhnovich dismissed for a second yellow after a lunge, and you wondered if the visitors could take advantage. Well in short, no, they could not, and it meant the hosts held on for the three points, and it sees Isloch sit in sixth spot, just three points above their opponents now.
Ruh Brest 0 Smolevichy STI 0
The final game of the weekend and Round Nine saw mid table Ruh Brest up against second bottom and winless Smolevichy STI. Now last weekend these two games had a combined goal count of fourteen, the hosts won 4-2 whilst the visitors lost 5-3 at home to leaders BATE in what was a very encouraging display from them. Sadly neither sides were firing today and shared a poor goalless draw, meaning the sides earned a point a piece, but for the hosts, whose incredible rise from being formed as an amateur side four years ago to now playing in the top flight, they can still be happy with the start they have had after being promoted along with today’s opponents last season. The visitors, although still winless after nine games and second bottom, do pick up another point though and are showing signs that they maybe could start to pick up points soon.
Here is how the table looks after the weekend’s games: -
So, it is BATE who lead the way, with Torpedo and Energetik right behind them and looking strong too. Slutsk, who led the table at the start of last weekend are now fourth after two straight defeats to teams now above them, whilst down the bottom both the bottom two picked up a point and will believe that the first win is just around the corner after encouraging displays in the last couple of weekends. And it is still tightly packed in the mid to lower half too, with a win sending you up a few places if results go your way.
Right here are the fixtures for Round Ten, which start on Wednesday evening for some reason this time round: -
Round Ten
Wednesday 20th May
Dinamo Brest Vs BATE (5pm)
Thursday 21st May
Neman Grodno Vs Torpedo BelAZ (5pm)
Friday 22nd May
Slavia Vs Gorodeya (4pm)
Shakhtyor Vs Belshina (6pm)
Saturday 23rd May
Smolevichy STI Vs Minsk (12pm, not sure if this will actually go ahead as Minsk are self-isolating)
Slutsk Vs Ruh Brest (2.30pm)
Isloch Vs Energetik BGU (4.30pm)
Vitebsk Vs Dinamo Minsk (6.30pm)
So those are the games to look forward to, Covid-19 pending of course!!! Wednesday night’s game sees reigning champions Dinamo Brest take on last year’s runners up and current leaders BATE, and with the hosts having a rather indifferent start to the campaign a defeat here would see them fall nine points behind BATE, so this is already a big game for the hosts and also one where BATE can really lay down a marker, especially after there 3-0 home win over Slutsk. Until then it is бывай as they say in Belarus.
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