League Play-Off

NovoPolotsk
Spectators: 37 (Terracing: 29, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Vitaly Grechkin kicked off to start the match. In the 15th match minute, Baranovichi was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Trafim Kabrynovich to maneuver through the defense. If Vitaly Grechkin had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 17th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Vitaly Grechkin recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 19th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Nikita Lakovich showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Ilia Chabatarev, who was totally free with the ball in the 21st minute. Makar Galaktionov received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 25th minute. Nikita Lakovich tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 32 minutes into the game, Konstantin Sobolev was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Baranovichi's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave NovoPolotsk the free kick. The supporters of NovoPolotsk booed when Baranovichi was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 32 match minutes in a wonderful position. Konstantin Sobolev didn't get a good kick on the ball. A hard shot by Evgeny Trusov from long distance, 33 minutes into the match, got Stepan Pashkevich's attention. Through a fast twist with his body, he could stop the ball from going in on his right side. The crowd rose to their feet as Vitaly Grechkin kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Stepan Pashkevich. That made the score 2-0 in the 35 minute of play. In the 41st minute Ilia Chabatarev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nikita Lakovich saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Liavon Makarevichs short, quick shot in the 48thth minute got Stepan Pashkevich to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 2-0 at half-time.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Ilia Chabatarev to make the kick off. Stepan Pashkevich showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vitaly Grechkin in the 55th minute of the match. In the 65th minute Liavon Makarevich shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Stepan Pashkevich saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Liavon Makarevich sent away a hard shot on goal in the 67th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Ilia Chabatarev sent away a hard shot on goal in the 73rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The audience was convinced that Ilia Chabatarev's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Nikita Lakovich was relentless in the 80th minute of the game. Ilia Chabatarev sent away a hard shot on goal in the 83rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Makar Galaktionov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 87th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nikita Lakovich having to interfere. Makar Galaktionov struck a weak shot in the 90th minute. Nikita Lakovich didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Baranovichi. In the 97th minute Ilia Chabatarev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Nikita Lakovich saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. For all the effort they put into the match, the Baranovichi players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for NovoPolotsk.