Hrodna and Gomel met in the Cup of Belarus on Thursday evening, and the visitors pulled off a 5-4 victory in what turned out to be one of those matches where defence takes a back seat. By then, both sides had already played six league games, and neither side could claim they'd been comfortable.
The hosts had been the better side in the league so far, sitting at the top with five wins from six outings. To be fair, they'd only lost once, and that defeat came against Molodechno on Wednesday. The guests, meanwhile, were fourth after four victories and two defeats — including a loss to Zhlobin just last week.
Recent form suggested this wouldn't be a tight affair. Hrodna had scored in every game, including a 4-2 win over Brest and a 4-0 dismantling of Baranavichy. Gomel's scoring record was equally robust — they'd beaten Novopolotsk 3-2 and Vitebsk 3-2 in their two most recent outings.
What you get from a 4-5 scoreline is a match where both teams refused to sit back. And here's the thing about these cup games — when both sides come out looking to attack, you rarely see a cagey affair. Neither team wanted to be the one to lose.
The result moves Gomel into stronger territory in the tournament, while Hrodna will be disappointed to have dropped points at home despite their league position. The gap in the league standings remains, but cup football has its own logic.
Both teams have now played their sixth competitive match, and the results so far suggest a league where the top half is well spread. There is no value left at that number — five wins for Hrodna, four for Gomel — but neither side has yet to find a rhythm that guarantees consistency.