While the rest of the football world is still deeply immersed in the COVID-19 era, matchday 4 in the Belarusian Premier League kicked off today as Neman Grodno hosted Belshina in the first match.
Neman Grodno didn't lose their last two matches. Belshina Bobruisk, the newly promoted team, looked for first points this season, losing their first three games.
Neman Stadium in the city of Grodno was all shiny on Friday evening, for the local team's match against the 16th ranking and last in the Vysshaya Liga.
Neman Grodno was more dominant in the first half, displaying a more aggressive style across the pitch.
Andrei Vasilyev got a yellow card in the 13th minute, and Danijel Stojković got another yellow card in the 28th minute for a late challenge. In the 42nd minute, Gegham Kadymyan scored the first for Neman, executing a perfect free-kick from 25 meters. It's the second goal of the Armenian this season, this one came with plenty of style. What a goal!
The second half was a completely different story. Belshina eagerly looked for the equalizer and found it in the 59th minute. A decent cross from the right side and Leonid Kovel was in the right spot to head it in.
Encouraged by this goal, Belshina’s players toughened up their game, committing ten fouls in the second half, as part of 19 in the whole match.
Both teams tried to score the winning goal, and Neman came close to it in the 87th minute. A series of short passes inside Belshina's box ended with a shot that hit the crossbar. The final whistle concluded the match, a 1-1 draw.
The fourth matchday of the Belarus Premier League will continue tomorrow, with Slutsk vs Vitebsk, Torpedo BelAZ vs Energetik BGU and Gorodeya vs Dinamo Minsk. On Sunday, FC Minsk will host BATE Borisov, while Smolevichy plays Shakhtyor and the champions Dinamo Brest who will face Isloch.
The matchday will be completed on Monday with the match between Slavia and Ruh Brest.