Afanasiev aims to spoil Sweden's party

Belarus Under-21 captain Mikhail Afanasiev insists his side must play to win against the hosts in Tuesday's Group A opener – because "a bad result against Sweden would leave us with little chance to fight on".

'Real leader'
Shrugging off suggestions that Belarus kick off as underdogs in the section, the FC Amkar Perm right-winger believes "our commitment and unity can help us against any opponent". Sweden will do well to heed those words. Having got this far, Belarus are intent on making their mark, with Afanasiev likely to prove their chief threat. Described by coach Yuri Kurnenin as "a real leader, a strong person who is able to unite his team", the No11 will be making a national record 39th appearance at this level in Malmo and is relishing the opportunity to show off his talents on the European stage.

'Great chance'
"For me personally, this tournament is a great chance to shine in front of a large number of scouts from leading clubs," the 22-year-old said. "It is a chance for the whole team and it could be very important for our careers. If I play well I will be noticed. If our team qualifies from the group, not many players will stay in the shadows."

No pressure
The squad were relaxed in training on Monday and, with all eyes on Sweden, the pressure will be on the hosts. Still, Afanasiev would not let an observation that Belarus are perhaps too careless in possession go unchallenged. "I totally disagree with this statement," he replied to reporters. "We led our qualifying group for a long time [before being overhauled by Serbia]. We were always able to take the initiative in our matches, except maybe in the 3-1 defeat by Serbia. We then had two good matches against Turkey in the play-off and controlled those games. How can you say we are careless with the ball?"

'Clear goals'
The former FC BATE Borisov and FC MTZ-RIPO Minsk midfielder will be eager to prove his point at the Malmö New Stadium. "Set-pieces will hardly help us against such a physical team," he went on. "We will try to keep the ball to feet because we won't be able to beat the Swedes in the air." Ultimately, whichever side best deals with the situation will be halfway to victory, and Afanasiev has confidence in his team. "I don't know how Sweden will cope with the pressure, but we will go out there with clear goals. We will play for our country and for the people who support us back in Belarus and then everything should be fine. Our coach will find the key to victory."