18 May 2010
RPL Review: Match Week 10
By Alex Jackson
This RPL round was certainly one to remember for the league’s new boys as none of the three promoted clubs lost – and two registered simply phenomenal results, scalping two of Russia’s best known teams in the process.
ALANIA VLADIKAVKAZ 5 – 2 SPARTAK MOSCOW
The Snow Leopards brought Spartak’s eight game unbeaten run to a crashing halt with what might possibly prove the shock result of the season.
Alania went ahead in just the fifth-minute, Aleksandr Marenich firing in across Dzanaev, into the bottom right corner from just inside the box.
After a brace last weekend, Spartak’s Welliton levelled on 7mins after chasing a long ball before slotting home.
But, in a flurry of goals, back stormed Alania who restored the lead just two minutes later via Georgi Gabulov’s volley, from Marenich’s free kick, into the net from near the penalty spot.
An own goal by Gheorge Florescu, turning in an Alex corner, saw a thrilling first 45 end with both sides level.
After the break the teams traded chances, fluffing them all until Gabulov hammered a free-kick past Spartak’s keeper on 68mins, to retake the lead for Alania.
With two minutes of regulation time left, 19 year-old Alania debutant Asen Khubulov sent the home team two goals clear with a good finish from a decent passing move.
Spartak heads had dropped by now, leaving Karen Oganyan to head-in a Stoyanov cross to put the gloss on a magnificent day for Alania – one that improved further when Welliton’s late, late, pen was well saved by the young Kerzhakov who continues to impress between the sticks.
Watch all the goals here: Alania Vladikavkaz 5-2 Spartak Moscow
CSKA MOSCOW 4 – 1 TEREK GROZNY
The Armymen bounced back after defeat to Rostov with this resounding victory – though things looked very different at the outset.
CSKA dominated the early exchanges but couldn’t find a finish to match their play. Then, Grozny took the lead through Blagoy Georgiev’s curler on 26mins. For the rest of the half, Terek were on top, testing Akinfeev in nets until the whistle went.
In the second half CSKA were a changed outfit and rattled in four goals in 15mins to slay the Chechens.
Chidi Odiah started the rout after 47mins with Mark Gonzalez putting the home team ahead after 53mins.
On 57mins Russian starlet Alan Dzagoev put CSKA – who were now dominating – further in front after Gonzalez had headed Krasic’s cross onto the post for the youngster to tap in.
Dzagoev then capitalised on woeful Terek defending to put the game out of Terek’s reach, latching onto Akinfeev’s long punt up the pitch to finish from 8 yards after 62mins.
SIBIR NOVOSIBIRSK 4 – 1 KRYLYA SOVETOV SAMARA
Again the home team fell behind here, only to storm back and win, netting four in the process.
Sergey Tkachev put struggling Samara ahead after six minutes with a close-range volley.
Just two minutes later, Tomas Cizek had levelled for Sibir with a beauty of a dipping free-kick into the top right corner.
Sibir skipper, Alexey Medvedev, put his side’s noses in front after 16mins, turning in a corner.
Lithuanian, Klimavicius, put daylight between the sides on 66mins after he headed Vasilyev’s long-range free-kick past the Krylya keeper.
Maxim Astafyev then finished a slick passing move to send the Sibir support into raptures with two minutes left on the clock.
SPARTAK NALCHIK 1 – 1 LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW
Two games in quick succession contributed to these two sides looking leggy here with barely enough chances created to warrant the one-all draw that resulted.
Leandro fired Nalchik ahead with a close-range half-volley after 20mins, only for Tomislav Dujmovic landing a counter-strike three minutes before half-time, driving home a loose ball in the area.
AMKAR PERM 0 – 2 ZENIT ST PETERSBURG
The Ural Mountains team were so close to seizing a well-earned point here, until Maxim Kannunikov popped up to score his first ever senior goal for Zenit after 78mins, nodding home Bystrov’s corner.
With a minute to go, Portuguese star Dani continued his return to form with the game’s second header-from-corner-routine to seal the points for Luciano Spalletti’s charges.
FC ROSTOV 0 – 2 RUBIN KAZAN
The Ruby continue to go unbeaten – and maintain a knack for keeping clean sheets – by seeing off Rostov.
As ever, Rubin rarely looked troubled at the back but had difficulty tucking away chances, with Bukharov and Noboa particularly guilty.
But Ruby skipper Sergey Semak unerringly put his team ahead with a strike from just outside the box after 63mins.
Bukharov then managed to make amends for earlier wastefulness by notching a second for the away team, sending in a Gorbanets corner on 77mins.
SATURN 1 – 2 TOM TOMSK
Starting out with one man upfront, Tomsk looked to be happy to play for a point and this encounter began with Saturn on top.
However, it was Tomsk who went ahead – against the run of play – after 48mins, through Ilya Gultyaev’s poacher’s effort.
On 59mins the Aliens’ veteran striker, Dmitry Kirichenko, pulled Saturn level by capitalising on slack defending to net from close-range.
Sergey Kornilenko was soon introduced to the Tomsk line-up to provide the Siberians with a second striker and he duly netted the winner with 5mins remaining.
ANZHI MAKHACHKALA 1 – 1 DYNAMO MOSCOW
Almost all the action of this game was focused on the three minute period that saw both sides score.
Dynamo went ahead via Igor Semshev, on 30mins, after good approach play from Voronin.
But, after 33mins Anzhi stormed back into the contest as Eldar Mamayev turned-in Nicolae Josan’s free-kick.
That goal left new Dynamo boss Miodrag Bozovic waiting for his first win while the Dagestani plundered another vital point in their bid to avoid relegation.
