A home match against Portugal has resulted in an awkward defeat of 1:7. Our rival also hopes to continue to the next stage of the tournament, so is sure to fight hard in the return match in Lisbon. It seems foolhardy to suppose that our squad will find success; it may be more likely to reach the Moon by bicycle.
The head coach of the Belarusian national team, Valery Dosko, tells us frankly, “In European football, we occupy the place we deserve. There are 1,200 pitches in Madrid, yet only 5-7 in Minsk — and no specialised training schools for youngsters. As a result, over the last five years, very few players of international level have appeared from Belarus.”
