Week 20 of the Russian Premier League
By: j | September 1st, 2008Week twenty of the Russian Premier League saw the table-leading Rubin Kazan expand their lead to solid six points, with the rest of the table tightening up. As we enter the final ten matches, stuttering Dynamo Moscow has given up four crucial points in the last two weeks and the real race might be for all-important second position and a Champions League date.
Saturday
CSKA Moscow 2 Lokomotiv Moscow 0
Koni looked like champions, powerful, confident and never in-doubt. The back-line that includes Russian capped Sergey Ignashevich, Aleksei Berezutskiy and Vasili Berezutskiy as well as a Lithuanian Deividas Šemberas shut-down the Lokomotiv assaults of Dmitri Torbinski and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and keeping Igor Akinfeev run of eight clean sheets in a row. In the attack, Yuri Zhirkov dominated and eighteen year-old striker phenom Alan Dzagoev continues to shine.
Sunday
Rubin Kazan 2 Amkar Perm’ 1
Almost the shock match of the weekend. Amkar Perm’ was leading my one with twenty-five minutes left and seemed to be padlocking the match before Aleksandr Bukharov and Christian Noboa scored within a five minute period. This victory in conjunction with the odd turn of events with Dynamo Moscow changed the complexion of the title race.
Dynamo Moscow 1 FC Moscow 1
A stunning match with a highly controversial outcome. With two minutes left in regulation time Kirill Kombarov volleyed a perfect cross to his brother Dmitri who headed into the back of the net. Dynamo was headed to victory and well past the alloted added-time, when the referee inexplicably not calling an end to the match, the Citizens won a corner to the left. With a poor clearance, the ball dropped to the ground and was edged into the net by Alexei Rebko. The two points lost in this match will go a great way in deciding the league title and Dynamo Moscow must be fuming with the time-keeping.
Luch-Energiya Vladivostok 1 Terek Grozny 1
As I said in my preview, never had all the makings of a draw and the road-trip to Vladivostok can never be underestimated.
Samara Kryliya Sovetov 4 Tom’ Tomsk 0
Samara Kryliya Sovetov’s striking duo of Yevgeny Savin and Jan Koller have radically changed the clubs fortune and they completely dismantled the Tomsk club after the break with four goals. Each striker scorin and Andrei Tikhonov adding a brace.
Spartak Moscow 2 Spartak Nalchik 1
Stunning conclusion to the match as Nalchik drew the match level in added-time only for Spartak Moscow’s nineteen year old Russian U-17 veteran scored. Incredible end to the match and crucial points for Spartak Moscow.
Category: Team News
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