FC Krasnodar – FC Ufa – 4:0 (2:0)
Goals: Wánderson, 35 (Smolov, 1:0), Smolov, 38 (Gazinskiy, 2:0), Petrov, 70 (3:0), Wánderson, 90 (Smolov, 4:0).
FC Krasnodar: Kritsyuk, Kaleshin (Torbinski, 78), Granqvist, Sigurðsson, Petrov, Kaboré, Gazinskiy (Mamayev, 71), Pereyra (Ahmedov, 65), Joãozinho, Wánderson, Smolov.
FC Ufa: Shelia, Nikitin, Alikin, Tumasyan, Safronidi, Paurević, Zubarev, Stotsky (Diego Carlos, 74), Zinchenko, Igboun, Krotov (Handžić, 46).
Yellow cards: Stotsky, 46 (foul play), Paurević, 82 (unsporting behaviour).
Referees: Lapochkin, Lebedev, Kudryavtsev (all Saint Petersburg).
24 April 2016. Krasnodar. Kuban Stadium. Cloudy. 24 degrees. 8 190 spectators.
With the season coming to its end FC Krasnodar and FC Ufa are meeting different challenges in the Russian Football Championship, but what they have in common is the manner of reaching their goals; both teams need to accumulate points. The only distinction is that even a single point lost might mean a missed podium in the standings for the Bulls, while every point gained by the Ufa team is worth a coin in their piggy bank that should (hopefully) help them to avoid relegation from the Russian Premier League following the results of this season. Such a lay of the hand along with an accepted notion of one team being stronger than the other due to class predetermined the course of the game. FC Krasnodar boss Oleg Kononov refreshed only four positions in his squad with changes if compared to a recent Russian Cup fixture, and the Bulls got hold of both the territory and the ball from the first minutes of the game. There was nothing left for the visitors to do save to try and erect a mighty defensive redoubt next to their own goal.
As early as on the 3rd minute FC Krasnodar defensive midfielder Gazinskiy was close to success, but he released the ball too far while meeting Kaleshin’s cross from the right, so it became the catch of FC Ufa goalie. A bit later Pereyra took a strong shot on the away goal from an acute angle after he received the ball from the same Kaleshin; the ball bounced and left the pitch for a corner kick. Soon after that Granqvist arrived for a set piece execution and took a shot with a header from 8 meters sending the ball over the target.
It took almost fifteen minutes for the Ufa players to build-up their first attack, but this one just barely missed scoring. Krotov attempted a shot with a header unhindered, and FC Krasnodar keeper Kritsyuk managed to save the ball from under the crossbar in the very last moment. Almost immediately after that the Bulls replied with their own chance. Gazinskiy took a one-touch shot after a low cross by Joãozinho making Kritsyuk’s counterpart Shelia enter the game.
The clash with PFC CSKA Moscow merely four days ago did not pass without a trace for the black-greens since their attacks definitely lacked some speed. Meanwhile the not-so-high tempo of the game was to the advantage of the Ufa team sitting out in defense virtually with their full eleven. Still, on the 35th minute the Bulls finally managed to find a crack in the Bashkir concrete. Francisco Wánderson shot a screamer into the top corner of the Ufa goal after being assisted by Smolov who had played the ball effectively with his heel in this scoring episode.
The opener turned out to be a splendid one, but no more than three minutes passed when the stands witnessed a true masterpiece. The Krasnodar team kept on attacking; Gazinskiy threw the ball into the box softly where it was received by Fyodor Smolov standing with his back to the goal. The striker performed a sporty acrobatic feat sending the ball into the bottom corner of the net with a marvelous bicycle kick while the Ufa keeper did not anticipate such an outcome and never so much as flinched!
Having achieved such an impressive lead in the game before the half-time the black-greens started the second half in a bit relaxed manner, so as soon as the game resumed Kritsyuk was forced to parry an aimed shot by FC Ufa Igboun from 15 meters. Fortunately the Bulls found their concentration again soon enough, and it became hot next to the opposite goal now. Within a single minute the black-greens launched two sweeping and perfectly orchestrated combinations, but both times the finishing shots by Smolov and Pereyra went directly into the keeper.
All the same, it didn’t take long for a third goal to be scored by the home team. Just before he got substituted on the pitch with Mamayev, Yury Gazinskiy took part in another scoring attack. Shelia coped with his solid shot on the 70th minute, but Sergei Petrov left everyone behind for a second ball attempt plunging the ball into the net with it brushing the keeper’s gloves. This scored goal became the anniversary one, i.e. the 500th goal in Club’s history scored by the black-greens in the official fixtures, but it was not the final one in this particular match. With the second half almost done Smolov, feeling aesthetic today, produced another assist with his heel while Francisco Wánderson reminded of himself as a shot master once again. This time the Brazilian player took a super accurate shot from outside the penalty area sending the ball into the top corner of the net again.
Having achieved this confident runaway win the players of Oleg Kononov go on with their winning streak in the Russian Football Championship. FC Krasnodar is still among the teams that have real claims to the tournament medals.
