Belarus Premier League - Round Fifteen - 26th, 27th, 28th June 2020

So we have reached the half way point in the Belarus Premier Division and it’s been an exciting first half to the campaign, let’s see how Round Fifteen shaped up:-



Round Fifteen – Friday 26^th June

Energetyk BGU 5 Slavia 0

Hosts Energetyk were going through a barren spell in front of goal, 315 minutes to be precise, coming into this one against Slavia.  And with no wins in four they were certainly looking for some sort of spark to get their season going, whilst visitors Slavia had got back to winning ways lost time out and were looking to build on this and pull themselves further away from those danger places towards the foot of the table.  Well, it took just four minutes for the host to end that goal scoring drought as 319 minutes after their last goal, they opened the scoring when a poor back pass from Shevchenko towards his keeper was intercepted by Yaxshiboev who duly rounded the keeper and then composed himself before firing beyond defender on goal line.  Perfect start for the hosts then. Slavia saw an effort glance of the bar when Narh struck an effort from outside the box, and then in the 27^th minute the hosts were reduced to ten men when Bakic was shown a red card for what was adjudged to be a dangerous challenge inside the box, and it meant Energetyk would have to play more than an hour with a man light. Both teams had openings in the remainder of the first period but Energetyk had that one goal lead but were a man light so would this affect them?  Well, two minutes after the restart the hosts doubled their lead when Yaxshiboev got in after a defensive error and crossed for Tweh to side foot across the keeper and into the net, and then just before the hour mark and after Yaxshiboev had seen an effort saved, he was to add his second and his sides third when after another defensive error the hosts strode forward and the ball was laid to Yaxshiboev who beat a couple of defenders before slotting home, and the ten man were now cruising, so no this didn’t affect them!!!  The ten men continued their dominance in this half by grabbing a fourth twenty minutes from time when Sovpel burst in down the right and fired a brilliant effort across the keeper into the far corner, and in the 90^th minute Energetyk completed the scoring when the brilliant Yaxshiboev claimed another assist when laying in Sovpel to fire across the keeper into the far corner for his second and cap a wonderful afternoon for the home side who ended their poor run in style.  Fourth place for them then and four points off the lead, it’s not looking so bad now, whilst for Slavia that was an alarming collapse against ten men, and they are in eleventh before Sunday’s games and just four points above third bottom Minsk who have two games in hand following a third defeat in four for the Mozyr club.



Smolevichy STI 2 Slutsk 1

The hosts finally returned to their Stadion Ozernyj home for the visit of a very out of form Slutsk side and looking for just their second win of the season to close the gap to third bottom Minsk in the process.  Slutsk alarming form is well documented over recent weeks, and they so badly need a win from somewhere to stop their current slide down the standings, but they saw the hosts begin well but found themselves a goal ahead in the 16^th minute when a ball through to Serdyuk saw him swivel and hit a first time effort into the bottom corner and Slutsk had their lead.  But the hosts were not behind for long and grabbed the goal their early play had deserved in the 19^th minute, and it was a beauty, as Dzhigero curled a wonderful effort in of the bar.  Smolevichy continued to dominate proceedings and struck the bar five minutes before the break and spurned more brilliant chances early in the second period, but in the 57^th minute they finally edged ahead when after the keeper had come to thwart another effort, the ball broke loose to Dzhigero who fired into the net for his and his sides second.  Smolevichy had enough chances to win this one handsomely, but they almost paid the price for not taking these when Slutsk had a couple of decent openings in the final fifteen minutes, the second of those a curling effort which come off the post, as they looked to pinch what would have been an undeserved point.  The home side did hold on though and claim a big three points which takes them three behind third bottom Minsk, who they still have to play twice remember, and five behind Gorodeya in fourth bottom before Sunday’s games, so they must really fancy themselves to get out of this now.  As for Slutsk, well, no wins since Round Seven, that’s eight games now, and only two points from a possible 24!!!  They sat top of the standings after Round Seven, they are now tenth for now, twelve points off leaders BATE and only eight above the drop zone and four above Minsk in the relegation play off spot having played two games more.  It’s very serious for them now…..



Round Fifteen – Saturday 27^th June

Minsk 1 Shakhtyor 1

Hosts Minsk came into this one to try and advert four straight defeats, and knew a win would take them out of the relegation play off zone above Gorodeya ahead of their game on Sunday and closer to the mid table pack above that, whilst Shakhtyor, who were trying to extend their unbeaten run to ten in the league, knew they could put pressure on leaders BATE ahead of their Saturday evening game against Dinamo Minsk by closing the gap to just one point with a win here. A goalless first forty five saw the hosts keeper being kept busy by many visiting attack, and although Minsk forced a decent save from the visitors keeper early in the second period, Shakhtyor found themselves ahead ten minutes into the second period after a free kick to the back post was brilliantly volleyed across goal into the far corner by Antic.  That lead only lasted about ten minutes though as the hosts restored parity after a ball into the six yard box was converted from point blank range by Vasiljev, although Bodul then had a great chance to restore the visitors lead, before Minsk then went clear but could not beat the keeper in what was a golden chance to pinch it for the hosts and get them out of that third bottom place.  Shakhtyor then glanced a header wide near the end as they searched for a winner, but it ended all square which means Minsk stay were they are but are now a point further clear of Smolevichy in second bottom, whilst the visitors close the gap to three at the top and remain in second and are now ten unbeaten.



Neman Grodno 1 Dinamo Brest 0

This was game of the weekend, the West Derby between Neman, who were on a five-game winning run, against last year’s Champions and resurgent Dinamo Brest who were on a four-game winning streak themselves.   The hosts began well and took the lead after seventeen minutes when Zabelin sent a downward header into the net, and it was Neman who continued to have the better of the first period although Brest did have a couple of decent efforts towards the end of the half just to let their opponents know they were still in this contest.  Both teams traded openings in the second period it what was a well contested ‘West Derby’, but Neman came out on top in what was a huge statement to the league, they are now third and a point behind second place with a game in hand after six straight wins which is a remarkable turn around after the start they had.  For Brest, it’s a first defeat since they lost to BATE twice in four days several weeks back, the latter the cup final of course, and it leaves them fifth but only five points off the leaders so they are still right in the mix despite this setback.



BATE 0 Dinamo Minsk 2

Leaders BATE knew they could open up a six point cushion at the top with victory against a Dinamo Minsk side who had been in good form over the last three weeks, winning two and drawing the other, and although the hosts were twelve unbeaten they were showing signs of a wobble after two draws, one where they threw a 2-0 lead away, and a fortunate win last time out at bottom side Belshina.  The opening forty five minutes were tight and although both sides did have openings, the match was a bit of a battle with little quality on show, however, in the 63^rd minute and after Minsk had seen a long range effort well saved, the visitors went in front after a cross from the right was brilliantly headed home by Shikavka, and the home side were shell shocked and knew they had to fight to get back in this one.  Three minutes later though things got a whole lot worse for the league leaders as Minsk quickly doubled their advantage as after the ball had come off the keeper following a save, Kozlov was on hand to side foot home into the net and the home crowd were whistling their displeasure whilst a healthy following from the capital were chating ‘Dinamo!!! Dinamo!!!’.  The final quarter of the game was played mainly in the visitors half as BATE tried to find a way back into the game, but the visiting defence stood firm, and Minsk could of grabbed a third but for a brilliant double save, however the side from the capital recorded a stunning win to make it three wins from four and climb into sixth spot and only four points off second spot, whilst a first home defeat of the season for BATE which saw their twelve match unbeaten run end here, means they remain top but now just three points clear of Shakhtyor in second spot.  That’s one win in four now for the leaders, which for them is a poor run, so it gives hope to the chasing pack looking to knock them off their perch.



Round Fifteen – Sunday 28^th June

Torpedo BelAZ 1 Vitebsk 0

Hosts Torpedo had dropped to seventh after Friday/Saturday matches, and were coming into this having not won in three but knew a win here would take them level with Neman in third and Energetyk in fourth.  Vitebsk sat two points and a place behind Torpedo though and were seven games unbeaten and came into this one off back to back wins and knew a win would take them up to sixth and above their opponents.   The opening half saw Torpedo gradually take control and came close on two or three occasions with the closest seeing a cross shot glance of the bar which totally caught the visiting keeper out, but it wasn’t an inspiring half of football as the teams went into the break goalless.  Both sides had good chances in the opening stages of the second period, Santos struck the post for the visitors before Ramos almost got on the end of a through ball, but in the 69^th minute Ramos produced a bit of magic when he struck home from the edge of the box.  Vitebsk had a wonderful chance to level thereafter when going clean through, but the effort was over the bar and it meant the hosts would go onto win and end their three match winless run, thus ending the visitors seven match unbeaten run.  Torpedo climb into fourth and only four points off the leaders, whilst Vitebsk drop to ninth following their first defeat in eight.



Ruh Brest 3 Belshina 0

Rukh last won in Round Eight, but have now gone seven games without a win, as their decent start has gone south very quickly, but they did show battling qualities in their draw at Shakhtyor last time out although Stepenov’s heroic’s in goal certainly helped them gain a point there.  They welcome bottom side Belshina to Brest who almost humbled the might of BATE at home last weekend but eventually lost out, so they will be no pushovers for sure, despite four defeats in their last five, which does not tell you the whole story.  An early header on target for the visitors soon made way for a period of hosts attacking, and in the 12^th minute they hit the front when a lovely flick from Diallo started a sweeping attacking move down the right which ended with him sliding home a cross from the right, and Rukh had an early lead.  The hosts suffered a blow when Diallo had to go off injured on the half hour mark after tweaking his right hamstring, and the visitors did have their moments as the game headed to the break with just the one goal in it.  Rukh though were doing two thirds of the attacking and Diallo’s replacement Oreshkevich doubled their lead two minutes before the break when he converted a terrific cross from the left, and then barely two minutes later Vasilev curled home a beauty after the ball has come back to him inside the box, meaning the hosts went into the break with a three goal cushion and looking more than likely to end their winless run.  The second half saw Belshina have more of the ball, but despite some attacks could not find the target, whilst Rukh were playing on the break and could easily have added a fourth, but the damage had been done in the first half and Rukh were never really in danger of seeing their lead disaapear, ending their winless run and picking up a big three points, whilst for Belshina well they remain bottom and now four behind Smolevichy in second bottom and even further behind the rest.  It’s going to take a mammoth second half of the season for them to get out of trouble.



Gorodeya 0 Isloch 2

The hosts sit one point above the third bottom spot, currently occupied by Minsk who had a game in hand before this one, but will be encouraged after putting in a terrific display in defeat to Dinamo Brest last weekend, that off the back of their superb win over Slutsk the weekend before that.  Isloch themselves have slowly been getting back to some kind of form over the last three weekends, drawing two and winning one of those games, and three points here for the Minsk outfit would see them just four points off second spot in a congested table.  The visitors got off to a flyer in this one though, as in just the third minute Makas hit an unstoppable effort from outside the box into the top corner giving the keeper no chance at all, and there positive start could have been better had Yansane not dragged wide from a good position.  Gorodeya were not without their openings too in the first half and their best effort probably should have brought them level but they headed over from point blank range, but it was Isloch who went into the break with a slender lead.    Now Yansane is rumoured to be joining Shakhtyor tomorrow (Monday 29^th June) and this would be a huge loss to the Isloch side, well if this was to be his final appearance for the Minsk outfit he gave them a parting gift of brilliance as he outpaced two defenders before sending a wonderful finish with the outside of his foot into the far corner and double the visitors lead nine minutes after the break.  He went over to the travelling fans and high fived them all, maybe a sign he was saying thank you and goodbye perhaps?  He certainly had saved his best till last if that is the case and it helped his soon to be old side perhaps to make it unbeaten in four now for a side who have a good chance of European football perhaps.  Losing Yansane though could affect their chances but this was a good way to sign off, whilst for Gorodeya they didn’t really hit the hights of the previous two weekends in terms of performance, and they remain only five points above the drop zone and only a point above third bottom Minsk who have a game in hand.



Here is the latest table after Round 15:-

It’s all very tight at the top as we hit the halfway stage of the competition, leaders BATE only have five points between them and sixth placed Dinamo Brest, and there is only a four point gap between second placed Shakhtyor and eight placed Isloch!!!  Down at the bottom Belshina are going to need a big push in the second half of the campaign otherwise you feel they will get cut adrift, whilst it’s looking tight between Gorodeya, Minsk and Smolevichy for the other relegation spot and the play off spot too.  Plenty can change over the coming weeks though!!!



Here are next weekend’s fixtures, which of course is Round 16:-

Friday 3^rd July

Slavia Vs Slutsk (3pm)

Smolevichy STI Vs Dinamo Brest (5pm)



Saturday 4^th July

BATE Vs Energetyk BGU (2pm)

Gorodeya Vs Vitebsk (4pm)

Neman Grodno Vs Isloch (6pm)



Sunday 5^th July

Minsk Vs Belshina (2pm)

Torpedo BelAZ Vs Shakhtyor (4pm)

Ruh Brest Vs Dinamo Minsk (6pm)



Quite excited about Smolevichy hosting last years champions Dinamo Brest, feel this could go either way as although the hosts are second bottom, they play a decent brand of football and I still believe they can get out of trouble, and will be interesting to see how the visitors bounce back from defeat in the West Derby.  BATE vs Energetyk is also a decent match up, especially as the leaders are faltering and the visitors bounced back to winning ways with a 5-0 home win!!!  Neman welcome Isloch looking to make it seven straight wins althougb Isloch are four unbeaten themselves, and on Sunday a huge game down the bottom sees Minsk hosts Belshina, and after that it’s fourth placed Torpedo at home to second placed Shakhtyor, so plenty of big games coming next time out!!!