World Soccer - UK (2020-04)

WORLD SERVICE

BELARUS

Three Reasons to be Cheerful

1

Unlike their opponents they have

managed to fit in a couple of winter

friendlies, recording morale-boosting 1-0

wins over Uzbekistan in the UAE and

Bulgaria away in Sofia.

2

Belarus have a fine defensive

linchpin in centre-back and skipper

Alyaksandr Martynovich. He has spent

the last decade in Russia with Krasnodar.

3

They can call on the European

experience of BATE’s central

midfielder Stanislaw Drahun and

enterprising schemer Ihar Stasevich,

who also skippers the team.

Three Fear Factors

1

Defensively they are vulnerable in

wide areas. Their full-backs can seem

at sixes and sevens when facing tricky,

pacy wingers.

2

Coach Mikhail Markhel, who replaced

Igor Kriushenko in June 2019, is

essentially a safety-first football thinker.

In a do-or-die battle such as this, his

natural conservatism could prove

counter-productive.

3

In counter-attacking mode they

can appear slightly clunky. Their

decision making is not the best and

they can be wasteful in front of goal.

Georgia v Belarus

GEORGIA

Three Reasons to be Cheerful

1

The expertise of coach Vladimir

Weiss, who worked a minor miracle

when in charge of Slovakia and steering

them to the round of 16 of the 2010

World Cup finals. Slovakia’s sensational

3-2 victory over Italy in that tournament

is his magnum opus.

2

They have influence, American style.

Both centre-back Guram Kashia and

left-winger Vako Qazaishvili currently

earn their living Stateside with San Jose

Earthquakes and they have more than

100 caps for their country between them.

3

The Georgians are very solid at

the back, with the point proved

by goalless home draws against Denmark

and Republic of Ireland during the

qualification process.

Three Fear Factors

1

There is a rather loose-knit, disparate

feel to the squad, with few home-

based players included and Weiss’ picks

spread across many different countries.

2

Doubts persist about the operational

readiness of brilliant young winger

Giorgi Chakvetadze. The 20-year-old is

feeling his way back after spending eight

months out with knee trouble.

3

Diminutive creative midfielder Jano

Ananidze has always been a talented

performer, both skilful and penetrative.

It’s a shame about his lack of consistency

and commitment, though.

Experience...Belarus midfielder Stanislaw Drahun

Influence...Georgia’s

Guram Kashia (left)