FC Krasnodar – FC Zhetysu (Kazakhstan) – 2:1 (1:1)
Goals: Wánderson, 11 (Petrov, 1:0), Turysbek, 15 (1:1), Mamayev, 75, penalty kick (2:1).
FC Krasnodar (Russia): Sinitsyn (Dykan, 46), Petrov (Torbinski, 46), Granqvist (Strandberg, 46), Eboué (Kaboré, 46), Markov (Kaleshin, 46), Gazinskiy (Ahmedov, 46), Podberyozkin (Pereyra, 46), Batyutin (Joãozinho, 46), Bystrov (Mamayev, 46), Wánderson (Smolov, 46), Komlichenko (Ari, 46).
FC Zhetysu (Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan): Pasiyenko (Shabanov, 46), Đalović (Slombekov, 84), Mamadou, Azovskiy (Kosmynin, 46), Kadio (Sagyndykov, 46), Moysov (Borovskiy, 65), Amirseitov (Shabayev, 46), Rudik (Kryukov, 57), Turysbek (Barzukayev, 68), Emenike (Mané, 46), Boti Goa (Savić, 46).
Yellow cards: Kaboré, 87 (foul play) – Turysbek, 61 (foul play).
Referees: Alhansori, Albadi, Alsalami (all Oman).
25 January. UAE. Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Zayed Sports Complex. Clear. 28 degrees. 30 spectators.
FC Krasnodar boss Oleg Kononov followed his tradition of fielding two lineups for the first friendly game of the training camp, one for each of the two halves. A younger squad took to the field before the half-time and as early as in the first two minutes of the match nearly upset the opposition keeper twice. Still, neither Podberyozkin nor Komlichenko were able to score from the most favorable positions. A mighty volley by Petrov from the corner of the goal area missed its target, too. Even so, on the 11th minute a great territorial advantage of the Bulls found its representation in the game score. On receiving the ball from Petrov Francisco Wánderson ball-controlled it under his right foot, took a break feinting past two opponents and produced a solid shot from 18 meters into the bottom corner of FC Zhetysu net. This goal became the sixth one for a Brazilian forward that he has scored so far against the Kazakhstan teams at the training camps.
The Taldykorgan team were both quick and sudden in scoring an equalizer. On the 15th minute FC Zhetysu earned a free kick on the right flank in one of their rare attacks, and Baurzhan Turysbek, left unmarked while the ball was served, took an unsavable shot with a header into the top corner of Sinitsyn’s domain.
Before the half-time Krasnodar players went on holding the initiative, but they did not create too many real threats for the opposite goal. A shot by Eboué after a free kick hit the hand of FC Zhetysu Emenike, but the Omani ref considered that the guy sharing the same name with an ex-player of FC Spartak Moscow did not have an intention to do so, so no PK was ordered. On the 31st minute Wánderson took another killing shot and missed, this time. The “blue team” created one good combination before the half-time, too. Boti Goa Demel was to finish it with a header, but Sinitsyn had assumed a right position taking hold of the ball easily.
The main attacking forces with FC Krasnodar took to the field after the half-time pushing virtually the whole game to the Kazakhstan team’s final third. For a while FC Zhetysu defense was able to repel the black-green onslaught. Thus, with an hour of the game done, Shabanov the keeper of the “blue team” played splendidly on the goal-line parrying a crafty bent shot by Joãozinho from a free kick.
On the 75th minute the goalie was unable to save the Taldykorgan team from a goal though. The Krasnodar players saw the ball to Kaleshin with their trademark quick passing, and the latter burst into FC Zhetysu penalty area and got knocked down by an opponent unable to keep up with him. The assistant referee saw the episode clearly, so he signaled to the ref accordingly. The penalty kick was ordered, and Pavel Mamayev executed it flawlessly.
In the time that remained before the final whistle the Bulls had a few decent chances to strengthen their advantage, but the defenders and the goalie of the Kazakhstan team performed in a selfless way keeping the score the same. 2:1, and FC Krasnodar has started a program of winter training camp scrimmages with a minimal, but nonetheless confident victory.