The match between Spartak and CSKA is always preceded by some scandals - without it, nowhere. They begin long before the game, trying to bring the opponent out of balance. This time, the management of Spartak was outraged by ticket prices: for Spartak fans they were higher. CSKA leaders tried to explain that from the earliest times the western rostrum was preferential, but the red-white chefs did not believe the enemy and even wrote open letters to the RFU and the Premier League.
CSKA head coach Valery Gazzayev hurriedly patched holes in the team - the champion’s bench is not too long, and he had to play without Jo, Odia, Aldonin and Vasily Berezutsky. As a result, Gazzaev released Ivan Taranov. Vladimir Fedotov was wondering - which of the four defenders to sacrifice to Geder? The lot fell to the youngest - Roman Shishkin. Iranek took the junior place on the right flank, Zheder and Stranzl located in the center. For the first time after an injury, Captain Yegor Titov entered the field.
Unlike the final of the Cup of Russia, where CSKA was stronger, this match showed the public two completely equal teams and football of the highest class. Twice in 90 minutes the red-white had to recoup, but CSKA players did not get any signs of panic or powerlessness from the opponent. In May, everything was completely different - having missed the first goal, Spartak was confused and did not know what to do. And in September, Fedotov’s team continued to play calmly and confidently. It is characteristic that the goals were scored very similar: the first pair - from standard positions, the second - with a header.
Perhaps the red and white were even closer to victory - they started the second half so that CSKA already took their breath away. For some time, Gazzaev’s team could hardly get out of their own penalty box. But “Spartak” let the opponent go, didn’t do it. As a result, I got a goal in my own goal. But the team proved that since May 2006 both in terms of the game and the nature has managed to move far ahead. Indeed, a military draw - you cannot say otherwise.
At the post-match press conference, Gazzaev scolded the "clown" judge Laurent Duhamel, who did not remove Martin Stranzl and counted Iranek's wrong goal. Fedotov, on the contrary, was very complacent. After the Cup, it was the other way around - Fedotov stigmatized the referee Ivanov, Gazzaev smiled. For a long time, the CSKA coach could afford calmness and relaxation. And now, in the person of Spartak, he finally found a real rival. But there is also Lokomotiv ... The ending of the championship promises to be hot.
And at the same time, another, no less remarkable meeting took place in Perm. “Amkar”, which took 15th place in the table, took the “Torpedo”, which is located a line above. Perm coach was brought to the game by a new coach - Rashid Rakhimov, and his team played the match decisively, assertively and even with some inspiration. The play of Sergey Volkov is indicative. He constantly went on aggravation and, at the first opportunity, hit on goal. Though not always accurate, but desire and mood compensated for the lack of skill. In the end, “Amkar” suffered its goal, while the opponent looked gray and limp. 1-0 in favor of the hosts, and “Amkar” bypasses “Torpedo” in the championship table of Russia.
But at the top of the standings, significant changes have occurred. “Lokomotiv”, having won with a minimum score in Nalchik, moved to second place, and St. Petersburg “Zenith” after a convincing triumph in Rostov-on-Don - to fourth. By the way, in this match, his fourth goal in five meetings held for Zenit was held by Turkish legion Fatih Tekke.
Once again, Moscow Dynamo disappointed its fans. Now - in Ramensky near Moscow. And if in the first half of the meeting the guests still resisted (by the efforts of Semshov and Sisero, the Dynamo team created two dangerous moments in the possession of Antonin Kinsky), then after the break all of them sunk out. Within one minute, the players of “Saturn” twice sent the ball into the net of blue and white (Chesnauskis and Lebedenko scored). The defeat was completed by the captain of “Saturn” Eremenko, who literally sold the bullet, having run away face to face with the goalkeeper from his half of the field!
Kirill DEMENTYEV