Georgia v Belarus
The bigger picture
At a time of considerable political and social unrest in Belarus, the national team could be forgiven for lacking 100 per cent focus on the sporting battle ahead. The country is in turmoil right now, battered by accusations of rigged presidential elections and mass protests. Nevertheless, football in Belarus has withstood stern tests all year, as the only championship in Europe to carry on playing throughout the coronavirus outbreak.
Belarus’ goal drought
Georgia can take great heart from the fact that Belarus only managed four goals in eight Euro 2020 qualifiers. Coach Mikhail Markhel has tried all manner of different formulae up front but to no avail. A possible solution might have been 21-year-old Ilya Shkurin, the CSKA Moscow striker who was the top scorer in Belarus in 2019 for EnergetikBGU Minsk, but he is refusing to play for the national team while Alexander Lukashenko remains president.
Super Stasevich
Belarus are by no means a one-man team, but they do rely on vastly-experienced right-sided midfielder Ihar Stasevich. The 34-yearold skipper has been voted Belarus Player of the Year in the last two seasons, and he makes the national team tick. Apart from a stint in Russia with Volga Nizhny Novgorod, he has spent the bulk of his career with hometown club BATE Borisov, helping them win nine domestic league titles.
Time to be brave
Georgia boss Vladimir Weiss has an impressive CV as an international coach, having taken his native Slovakia to the 2010 World Cup finals – their first major tournament – where they sensationally defeated Italy en route to the last 16. Weiss has a tendency to be a little conservative in his matchday planning and game management, but this play-off semi-final will be no place for faint hearts.
A Belgian boost for Georgia
The Georgians will be banking on their Belgium-based stars, the Gent duo of striker Giorgi Kvilitaia (currently on loan at Anorthosis Famagusta in Cyprus) and attacking midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze. Good enough to have the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Roma watching him closely, the 21-year-old Chakvetadze has a wand for a right foot combined with bags of vision and instinctive finery. He has one problem – a tendency for knee injuries.