2003 Belarusian Premier League Explained

Competition:Belarusian Premier League
Season:2003
Winners:Gomel
Relegated:Lokomotiv Minsk
Molodechno-2000
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Gomel
Continentalcup2:UEFA Cup
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Shakhtyor
BATE
Continentalcup3:Intertoto Cup
Continentalcup3 Qualifiers:Dinamo Minsk
League Topscorer: Gennadi Bliznyuk,
Sergei Kornilenko – (18)
Biggest Home Win:Shakhtyor 9–0 Zvezda-VA-BGU
Biggest Away Win:Slavia 0–7 Dinamo Minsk;
Slavia 0–7 BATE
Highest Scoring:Shakhtyor 9–0 Zvezda-VA-BGU;
Belshina 4–5 Dnepr-Transmash
Matches:240
Total Goals:621
Prevseason:2002
Nextseason:2004

The 2003 Belarusian Premier League was the 13th season of top-tier football in Belarus. The first round was postponed from April 11–12 to later dates due to heavy snowfall. The season finally started on April 18 and ended on November 9, 2003. BATE Borisov were the defending champions.

Team changes from 2002 season

Due to Premiere League expansion from 14 to 16 teams, one lowest placed team in 2002 Lokomotiv-96 Vitebsk was replaced by three best teams from 2002 First League: Darida Minsk Raion, Naftan Novopolotsk and Lokomotiv Minsk. Torpedo-MAZ Minsk changed their name to Torpedo-SKA Minsk. Darida originally was registered in Minsk suburb Zhdanovichi, while playing their games in Kuntsevschina district in Minsk. The team was renamed to Darida-TDZh Zhdanovichi (due to sponsorship from shopping center Zhdanovichi) for a few weeks in early 2003. However, after shopping center cancelled their sponsorship, team's name was changed back to Darida and official location became Minsk Raion, while team's office and stadium locations remained the same.

Overview

Gomel won their 1st champions title and qualified for the next season's Champions League. The championship runners-up BATE Borisov and 2003–04 Cup winners Shakhtyor Soligorsk qualified for UEFA Cup. Teams finished on the last two places (Lokomotiv Minsk and Molodechno-2000) relegated to the First League.

Teams and venues

TeamLocationVenueCapacityPosition in 2002
width=120BATEwidth=110Borisovwidth=160City Stadium (Borisov)5,5001
NemanGrodnoNeman Stadium15,0002
ShakhtyorSoligorskStroitel Stadium5,0003
Torpedo-SKAMinskTorpedo Stadium (Minsk)5,2004
TorpedoZhodinoTorpedo Stadium (Zhodino)5,0005
GomelGomelLuch Stadium5,0006
Dinamo MinskMinskDinamo Stadium40,0007
BelshinaBobruiskSpartak Stadium (Bobruisk)4,6008
Dnepr-TransmashMogilevSpartak Stadium (Mogilev)6,7759
Dinamo BrestBrestOSK Brestskiy3,00010
SlaviaMozyrYunost Stadium5,25011
Zvezda-VA-BGUMinskTraktor Stadium17,00012
Molodechno-2000MolodechnoCity Stadium (Molodechno)5,65013
DaridaMinsk RaionDarida Stadium3,000First league, 1
NaftanNovopolotskAtlant Stadium6,500First league, 2
LokomotivMinskLokomotiv Stadium860First league, 3

Belarusian clubs in European Cups

RoundTeam #1Agg.Team #21st leg2nd leg
2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup
First roundShakhtyor Soligorsk 8–1 Omagh Town1–07–1
Second roundShakhtyor Soligorsk 3–5 Cibalia Vinkovci1–12–4
2003–04 UEFA Cup
Qualifying roundBrøndby 5–0 Dinamo Minsk3–02–0
Neman Grodno 1–1 (a) Steaua București1–10–0
2003–04 UEFA Champions League
First qualifying roundBATE Borisov 1–3 Bohemians1–00–3

Top scorers

RankNameTeamGoals
1 18
18
3 17
4 16
16
6 13
7 12
8 11
9 10
10
10

See also

External links