Lukashenko slams performance of Belarusian football players

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko criticized the current state of affairs in Belarusian football as he attended the ceremony to inaugurate the children and youth football center of FC Dinamo Minsk on 3 September, BelTA has learned.“Such poor performance of Belarusian football players is inadmissible,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.The president explained that he does not mean only the “outstanding” performance of Belarusian football players against the Czech Republic. “I asked the senior officials of the federation why they allowed to youth team to play yesterday. They did not even go there to play. Please remember it. It will be a lesson for you,” the head of state said.BelTA reported earlier that Belarus suffered a second defeat in a row in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In the third match of Group E Belarus lost to the Czech Republic 0-1 in Ostrava. At the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers Belarus defeated Estonia 4-2 in Minsk and lost 0-8 to Belgium in an away match. Now Belarusian players will go to Russia’s Kazan where they will face Wales on 5 September and Belgium on 8 September.