The National A-team is preparing for the match vs Wales

Belarus national A-team is set for the international friendly fixture against Wales.

The pre-match press-conference of the «white wings» was held at «Cardiff City» stadium. Mikhail Markhel answered the media's questions in the company of Nikolay Zolotov. Later on the players and coaching staff proceeded to the pre-match training session which included a standard set of excercises in the course of the preparation for the match. 

As communicated earlier 22 football players arrived in Cardiff.

The upcoming match will be the fifth in the head-to head history of Belarus and Wales national teams. The teams met for the first time during the qualification to the UEFA European Championship 2000, which Belarus team played with head coach Mikhail Vergeenko. In October 1998 at «Ninian Park» in Cardiff the opponents provided a tight encounter which ended with a 3:2 victory of the home team. The goals for Belarus came from Sergei Gurenko and Valentin Belkevich. In one year's time in September 1999 our team failed to take revenge at «Dinamo» stadium in Minsk packed with 25 thousand spectators. Vasili Baranov opened the score, but the away team came back soon and the decisive gaol came from the current head coach of the Welsh team and «Manchester United» legend Ryan Giggs. In the qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2002 the team were drawn in one group again. The campaign with Eduard Malofeev in charge is considered as the most succesful in Belarusian history.  In Autumn 2000 the home match went our way - 2:1. Alekasndr Khatskevich and Valentin Belkevich both scored. In the last game of that qualification played at «Millenium» stadium in Cardiff a goal from «Celtic» Glasgow forward John Hartson ensured a minimal victory for the home team and a painful defeat for the belarusians. Three points from that game would have sent the «white wings» to the second place in the group and ensured a place in the play-offs of the FIFA World Cup 2002.

Belarus' and Wales' path have previously never crossed in UEFA European club competitions. 

Tomorrow Maksim Skavysh can register his 15-th cap for the national team. Maksim Plotnikov, Zakhar Volkov, Kirill Pechenin, Nikolai Zolotov and Max Ebong can all make their debut for Belarus national A-team.  

The upcoming match Wales - Belarus will be held tomorrow at «Cardiff City» stadium and will start at 21.45 Belarusian time. The game will be broadcast live on «Belarus 5» TV channel.