Inviting a new coach, the Loko management had every reason to count on gold. However, the correspondence dispute between the three Moscow clubs for the medals the railroad preferred their own story: the battle with outsiders. The three-match confrontation between Dolmatovsky Lokomotiv and the deep-sea inhabitants of the standings began with an absurd draw with Torpedo, continued with a well-deserved defeat from Dynamo, and culminated in an unobvious victory over Shinnik. From which only one conclusion can be drawn: Loko, unable to fight for first place, chose a backup option for himself - to hold third with little blood.
Fears were destined to be confirmed even before the whistle. The starting line-up of Loko showed that Dolmatov considers Sychev to be the only competent forward of the team. Or he’s afraid of his former club. It is unbelievable, but true: the potential winners of the championship, accepting “Shinnik” discharged from the Premier League on their field, were lined up according to the 4-5-1 scheme. Dolmatov’s caution could be explained by the desire to take three points with guarantee. In fact, she turned into a game of inertia, not painting the team of the first three.
“Loco” immediately took control of the center of the field, but the real threat to the goal of “Shinnik” appeared only on the left flank, from where, over and over again, Fininho broke through and hung in. Once again, slipping two defenders and giving a timely pass to Sychev, the Brazilian could become the hero of the episode, if not for the lineman’s flag. However, the ball, which was in the Bliznyuk net after the whistle, liked the sensation, and soon he was fluttering there legally. After another attack from the left, the ball hit the completely invisible Samadov, who had no time to do anything: he was pushed in the back. Loskov was merciful to Dolmatov, not burdened by the choice of a penalty kicker, and ruthless to the guests - 1: 0.
The goal scored became an unexpected joy. Railroad workers continued to roll the ball along the field, invariably losing it at the penalty area and allowing the Yaroslavl team to identify a kind of counterattack. Bilyaletdinov's long-range strike and Ivanovich’s run on the right edge, followed by a miss by Sychev, inspired the audience, but finally frightened Dolmatov. Apparently, he did not give the installation of an attack and after the first half he removed Fininho, who was still tearing forward, from the field. By the end of 45 minutes, the scarcity of events on the field shook the balance of even the impenetrable commentator Tvaltvadze. His phrase “two years ago the railroad beat the Yaroslavl“ Locomotive ”in Lokomotiv” is worthy of history.
The second half confirmed the only trend that had taken shape under the new coach: Loko added at the end of the matches, but the growing number of points did not translate into an increase in the score. So it happened this time, and the captain set the tone for the team, ruining the most accurate moment. Under the pressure of Loskov’s authority, Samedov, Sychev, who replaced Starkov and, it would seem, over-motivated by the game against the former team of Spakhich, fell. None of them even hit the target - from lethal positions. Loko’s extravagance could well have come around in the last minutes, hit Gorak harder. But the memorable fate of Spartak passed the railroad.
The lack of a built-in game, lack of luck and lack of desire - these, unfortunately, are the signs of the Loko era of Dolmatov. Unfortunately or fortunately, this may be enough to win bronze.