# 2001 Belarusian First League

2001 Belarusian First League was the 11th season of 2nd level football championship in Belarus. It started in April and ended in November 2001.

## Team changes from 2000 season

Winners of last season (Molodechno) were promoted to Belarusian Premier League. They were replaced by the three teams that finished at the bottom of 2000 Belarusian Premier League table (Kommunalnik Slonim, Lida and Torpedo-Kadino Mogilev).
Four teams that finished at the bottom of 2000 season table (Traktor Minsk, Khimik Svetlogorsk, Veino-Dnepr and Polesye Kozenki) relegated to the Second League. They were replaced by two best teams of 2000 Second League (Darida Minsk Raion and Akadem-Slavia Minsk).
Luninets, who finished 2nd last season, disbanded during the off-season. Traktor Minsk were invited back to the First League to replace the team, but declined the offer. Khimik Svetlogorsk were invited instead and accepted invitation.
Before the start of the season, FC Rogachev changed their name to Rogachev-DUSSh-1, Svisloch-Krovlya Osipovichi to Svisloch Osipovichi and Akadem-Slavia Minsk were renamed to SKAF Minsk.
A week before the start of the season newly promoted SKAF Minsk withdrew back to the Second League, after their partnership with Slavia Mozyr (of whom they were previously a farm club) suddenly ended, along with the financial supply. No team was able to replace SKAF on a short notice and the league was reduced to 15 clubs for the season.

## Teams and locations

| Team | Location | Position in 2000 |
| Lida | Lida | Premier League, 14 |
| Torpedo-Kadino | Mogilev | Premier League, 15 |
| Kommunalnik | Slonim | Premier League, 16 |
| Neman | Mosty | 3 |
| Zvezda-VA-BGU | Minsk | 4 |
| Granit | Mikashevichi | 5 |
| Keramik | Bereza | 6 |
| Torpedo | Zhodino | 7 |
| Svisloch | Osipovichi | 8 |
| Orsha | Orsha | 9 |
| Rogachev-DUSSh-1 | Rogachev | 10 |
| Dinamo-Juni | Minsk | 11 |
| ZLiN | Gomel | 12 |
| Khimik | Svetlogorsk | 14 |
| Darida | Minsk Raion | Second League, 1 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Torpedo Zhodino (P) | 28 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 56 | 13 | +43 | 66 | Promotion to Belarusian Premier League |
| 2 | Zvezda-VA-BGU Minsk (P) | 28 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 74 | 21 | +53 | 62 | Promotion to Belarusian Premier League |
| 3 | Darida Minsk Raion | 28 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 49 | 22 | +27 | 61 | |
| 4 | Khimik Svetlogorsk | 28 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 56 | 24 | +32 | 57 | |
| 5 | Torpedo-Kadino Mogilev | 28 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 46 | |
| 6 | Granit Mikashevichi | 28 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 47 | 26 | +21 | 44 | |
| 7 | ZLiN Gomel | 28 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 35 | 36 | −1 | 35 | |
| 8 | Keramik Bereza | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 34 | 39 | −5 | 34 | |
| 9 | Lida | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 27 | 33 | −6 | 34 | |
| 10 | Kommunalnik Slonim | 28 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 32 | |
| 11 | Svisloch Osipovichi | 28 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 34 | 59 | −25 | 31 | |
| 12 | Orsha (R) | 28 | 9 | 1 | 18 | 40 | 74 | −34 | 28 | Withdrew to amateur league |
| 13 | Dinamo-Juni Minsk | 28 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 19 | 39 | −20 | 25 | |
| 14 | Neman Mosty | 28 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 21 | 57 | −36 | 19 | |
| 15 | Rogachev-DUSSh-1 | 28 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 27 | 67 | −40 | 17 | |
* 1 2 Keramik Bereza placed above Lida by overall goal difference, having an equal head-to-head record (0–0, 1–1).

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Goalscorer | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Maksim Sukhoveyev | Zvezda-VA-BGU Minsk | 28 |
| 2 | Sergey Shevchik | Torpedo Zhodino | 21 |
| 3 | Ashot Bagiryan | Zvezda-VA-BGU Minsk | 14 |
| 4 | Yuriy Nikitochkin | Svisloch Osipovichi | 13 |
| 4 | Oleg Kuzmenok | Darida Minsk Raion | 13 |
| 4 | Sergey Ulezlo | Khimik Svetlogorsk | 13 |