Belarus round-up: Champions begin with a draw

Reigning Belarussian First Division champions FC BATE Borisov opened their 2003 season campaign with a 0-0 stalemate against FC Belshina Bobruisk.

String of injuries
BATE were hit by a string of injuries on the eve of this match, ruling out key player Dmitri Likhtarovich, his midfield colleague Aleksandr Kobets and defensive pair Dmitri Molosh and Valeri Tarasenko. Although BATE were then held by the side that finished eighth last year, they can take consolation from the fact that they began their 2002 campaign with a similar goalless draw against FC Torpedo Zhodino, as well as the fact they lost 2-1 at then title-holders Belshina on their way to claiming the championship.

Newcomers hold runners-up
Last season's runners-up FC Neman Grodno were also held, drawing 1-1 at newly-promoted FC Lokomotiv Minsk. Andrei Lyubchuk gave Neman a flying start with a second-minute goal but the home side equalised nine minutes later with a penalty from Dmitri Denisyuk. Neman pushed for victory, but both Vitali Tarashik and Eduard Boltrushevich were thwarted by the crossbar.

Dinamo on top
Those results allowed six-time champions FC Dinamo Minsk to claim the initial pole position with a 4-0 win against FC Molodechno 2000. Kiril Pavlyuchek and Petar Zlatinov made it 2-0 by the 22-minute mark, and Maksim Tsygalko added a double, scoring either side of half-time from Vitali Volodenkov assists.

Shakhtior held
In the meeting of the remaining two the 2002 top four, Shakhtior Soligorsk and FC Torpedo-SKA Minsk drew 0-0, while the other winners were FC Dinamo Brest, who triumphed 2-0 at FC Zvezda-VA-BGU Minsk, promoted FC Naftan-Devon Novopolotsk, 1-0 against FC Slavia Mozyr, FC Gomel by the same score at home to the other newcomers FC Darida Zhdanovichi and FC Torpedo Zhodino, 2-0 victors against FC Transmash Mogilev.