Grodnooblsport end BATE’s 7-year reign in Belarus

A domestic double for new Belarussian champions sees Grodnooblsport make history

This past weekend (August 26), Grodnooblsport won the Belarusian Cup for the first time in their hstory. 

This achievement came just two weeks after Grodnooblsport had put an end to a seven-year reign of beach soccer domination in Belarus, as they toppled the defending champions, Bate Borisov, to take the 2018 league title for the first time in their history.

But the trophies were not the only prizes for Vasily Savich’s side, as they have now secured their place in the Euro Winners Cup, where they will have to opportunity to contest against Europe’s very best to see who rules the continent.

Ten teams competed in the Belarussian League 2018, which was held in six stages in different cities, with Superfinal in Minsk. 

In their first match of the final series of the league, Grodnooblsport fought against stubborn challengers to force a 4-2 win. 

In the second, they put the 7-time champs to the sword, with a tight 3-2 victory over Bate Borisov. And in the final game, Savich’s team prevailed once more, seeing off their opponents by seven goals to four, and claiming their first ever league crown.

In the Belarusian Cup final in Schuchin, Grodnooblsport claimed the title against local side, Schuchin, with a hard-fought victory. Playing with the crowd against them, the final score ended at 5-3.

The league individual awards were awarded as follows:

MVP – Ivan Miranovich (BATE)

Top Scorer – Aleh Hapon (Grodnooblsport) – 53 goals, 22 games

Best goalkeeper – Maxim Tsyvinsky (Grodnooblesport)