Northern Ireland v Belarus (15/11/2024)

THE SQUAD: BELARUS

WORDS: IAN PARKER

PAVEL PAVLYUCHENKO GOALKEEPER FC PAKHTAKOR (UZB) AGE 26 CAPS 14 GOALS 0 Pavlyuchenko made his international debut in 2017 when he was with Dinamo Brest - the club where he won the Belarusian league title in 2019 and cup in 2017-18. Since moving to Pakhtakor he has also claimed an Uzbekistan title. ALEKSANDR MARTYNOVICH DEFENDER FC KAIRAT (KAZ) AGE 37 CAPS 78 GOALS 2 The veteran Martynovich made his debut in 2009, becoming captain in 2015. He spent the bulk of his club career in Russia, playing for Krasnodar between 2010 and 2022. He now plays in Kazakhstan.

MAXIM PLOTNIKOV GOALKEEPER FC TORPEDO-BELAZ AGE 26 CAPS 6 GOALS 0

FEDOR LAPOUKHOV GOALKEEPER FC DINAMO MINSK

AGE 21 CAPS 5 GOALS 0 The youngest goalkeeper in the squad, Lapoukhov has quickly established himself as the number one since making his debut in a friendly against Israel in the summer.

Plotnikov has largely served as a back-up for Pavlyuchenko, but did get a run of games during Euro 2024 qualifying. After a time playing in Kazakhstan, he returned to the Belarusian league this

year, first with Arsenal Dzerzhinsk and now with Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino.

DZIANIS PALIAKOU DEFENDER FC DINAMO MINSK AGE 33 CAPS 63 GOALS 2 Paliakou played for his country at the 2012 Olympics after making his international debut in 2011. At club level he is a seven time Belarusian champion with BATE Borisov. He has also won league titles with APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus and Astana in Kazakhstan. YURI KOVALEV DEFENDER FC BALTIKA KALININGRAD (RUS) AGE 31 CAPS 26 GOALS 1 Kovalev made his international debut in 2017, starting a World Cup qualifier against France, a match Belarus lost 2-1. His only international goal came in a 5-0 win over San Marino in 2018.

SERGEI POLITEVICH DEFENDER FC DINAMO MINSK

AGE 34 CAPS 48 GOALS 2 Politevich was also part of the Belarus squad at the London Olympics, although he did not make his senior debut for the national team until 2014. He is a two-time Belarusian champion with Shakhtyor Soligorsk, in 2020 and 2021.

KIRILL PIACHENIN DEFENDER FC KRYLYA SOVETOV SAMARA (RUS) AGE 27 CAPS 33 GOALS 0 Piachenin is comfortable both in defence or midfield. He won the Belarusian Super Cup with Dinamo Brest before leaving for Russian football, first with Orenburg and now with Kayla Sovetov Samara.

ZAKHAR VOLKAU DEFENDER FC ARSENAL TULA (RUS) AGE 27 CAPS 20 GOALS 0 A Belarusian champion with BATE Borisov in 2018, Volkau has had to rebuild his career after being found guilty of involvement in match-fixing in August 2020. Initially banned for two years, his suspension was lifted in September 2021.

SERGEI KARPOVICH DEFENDER FC NEMAN GRODNO

PAVEL ZABELIN DEFENDER

YEGOR PARKHOMENKA DEFENDER FC NEMAN GRODNO

FC SOKOL SARATOV (RUS) AGE 29 CAPS 5 GOALS 0 Zabelin made his debut for Belarus in March of this year in the 0-0 friendly draw against Malta, a month after signing for Russian club Sokol Saratov after a year spent playing in Kazakhstan.

AGE 30 CAPS 14 GOALS 0 The former captain of the Belarus Under-21 squad had to wait for his chance in the senior squad, which eventually came in February 2020 at the age of 25.

AGE 21 CAPS 3 GOALS 0 Parkhomenka made his international debut last November, playing in a 1-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win over Andorra.

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NIR V BLR