MINSK, 3 June (BelTA) - Belarus lost to Azerbaijan 1-2 in a friendly match on the home ground on 2 June, BelTA has learned.
The hosts held a slight advantage at the beginning of the match which took place at the Dinamo Stadium in Minsk. The visiting team showed more activity towards the break. Both teams, however, did not create a single goal chance. Early in the second half the Belarusians seized the initiative, and captain Maxim Skavysh opened the score in the 56th minute. The visitors immediately switched on an attack and Badavi Huseynov tied up in the 73rd minute. After that, attacks were produced by both the sides, but it was Azerbaijan that succeeded: Ramil Sheydaev made it 2-1.
The national football teams of Belarus and Azerbaijan played three matches in the previous years. In Molodechno, the teams played in a draw, 2-2, in Molodechno in May 1996. Azerbaijan won in Varna, Bulgaria, 1-0, in February 2001. Belarus won 1-0 in Baku in March 2018.
On 1 June, Estonia, Belarus' rivals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification Group E, beat Lithuania in Vilnius 1-0. On Friday, 4 June, Estonia will play Finland in Helsinki, and Czech Republic will take on Italy.
