BATE seal ninth consecutive title in Belarus
Sunday, November 9, 2014
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"I'm so happy," beamed FC BATE coach Aleksandr Yermakovich after his side sealed their ninth successive league title in Belarus with a 4-0 win against FC Naftan Novopolotsk.
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FC BATE Borisov have clinched their ninth successive league title in Belarus after a 4-0 defeat of FC Naftan Novopolotsk lifted them seven points clear of second-placed FC Dinamo Minsk with two games to play.
Unbeaten since the first day of the season, BATE made light work of Naftan, Mikhail Gordeychuk, Vitali Rodionov and Aleksandr Karnitski all scoring before the break and Rodionov adding his second of the match on 72 minutes. "We had a new team this year and a new coach. We won the league and made it through to the Champions League group stage so it's not all bad news," said BATE chairman Anatoly Kapsky.
Coach Aleksandr Yermakovich added: "This title is much more important to me than the previous one because 2014 is the first year I've worked on my own. I'm so happy and it's really good that we've achieved the goals we set ourselves."
Elsewhere, UEFA Europa League participants Dinamo Minsk are guaranteed second spot, while FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk lead the way in the race for third.
