Victories at European level stimulate better play during domestic championship
On the eve of the match, BATE Borisov’s draw with Gomel was guaranteed to please Dinamo. BATE lost precious points in the city over the River Sozh but, of course, the Minskers still had to turn the situation to their advantage. Shakhtyor, ranked third in the tournament table, arrived in Minsk to face Dinamo and, from the very first minutes, showed its determination.
Dinamo is known for rising to a challenge and its 100th ‘shut-out’ match for goalkeeper Alexander Gutor was no exception. Alexandru Neacsu’s goal determined the power balance in the first half, as well as for the whole match and the team’s future in the championship. BATE still leads in the championship but, after the current round, the two rivals are separated by just three points. It’s not an unusual situation, taking into account the number of matches ahead, as well as the performance recently demonstrated by the Minsk squad.
By Igor Grishin
