Five in a row for dominant BATE
Saturday, November 13, 2010
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Already assured of progress in Europe, FC BATE Borisov coach Viktor Goncharenko said his team were having a "fantastic season" after they won their fifth successive league title.
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FC BATE Borisov have won the Belarusian title for the fifth year in succession after a 3-1 victory at FC Belshina Bobruisk in their penultimate game of the Premier League season.
Knowing a draw would have been enough, BATE wrapped up their seventh championship the hard way with three goals in ten second-half minutes having fallen behind to Aleksandr Lebedev's opener before the break. Renan Bressan, from the spot, Maksim Bordachev and Pavel Nekhaychik were on target for coach Viktor Goncharenko, who said: "We felt some tension in the first half and that hurt us.
"The shackles came off only when we took a 3-1 lead and the players enjoyed the game thereafter. We're having a fantastic season. We've clinched the domestic double and reached the UEFA Europa League round of 32."
BATE president Anatoliy Kapsky added. "I'm always very happy when we win the title because I feel new emotions each time. It turns out that every season we have some new players who claim their first title. I'm happy for them."
The success comes nine days after BATE qualified for the UEFA Europa League knockout stage with two Group E matches in hand. BATE's appearance in the round of 32 will be the first time the club have still been involved in European competition after Christmas.
