FC Krasnodar 1-4 (0-2) FC Spartak Moscow
Goals: Luiz Adriano, 8 (Kombarov, 0-1), Zé Luís, 28 (Luiz Adriano, 0-2), Luiz Adriano, 86 (Promes, 0-3), Claesson, 88 (Pereyra, 1-3), Promes, 90 (Zé Luís, 1-4).
FC Krasnodar: Sinitsyn, Petrov, Granqvist, Gritsayenko, Ramírez (Laborde, 79), Shishkin (Wanderson, 64), Gazinskiy, Pereyra, Podberyozkin (Joãozinho, 46), Claesson, Smolov.
FC Spartak Moscow: Selikhov, Kombarov, Tasci, Dzhikiya, Yeshchenko (Zobnin, 46), Fernando, Glushakov (Samsonov, 66), Melgarejo (Pašalić, 67), Promes, Zé Luís, Luiz Adriano.
Yellow cards: Shishkin, 58 (attack breakdown), Petrov, 60 (attack breakdown) – Pašalić, 78 (attack breakdown).
Referees: Lapochkin (Saint Petersburg), Semyonov (Gatchina), Abusuyev (Saint Petersburg).
18 November 2017. Krasnodar. FC Krasnodar Stadium. Cloudy. 11 degrees. 33 395 spectators.
After a two-week national team break FC Krasnodar resumed the Russian Football Championship with a home game against FC Spartak Moscow. This match received a lot of attention on behalf of the media and spectators. The tickets for it had been sold out almost one week before matchday. The spectators therefore filled the stands of the wonderful Krasnodar stadium to capacity, and once the kick-off whistle was sounded they witnessed an impressive show.
Both teams wasted no time for reconnaissance. After the first three minutes of the game the Krasnodar squad was twice very close to success in the course of the same attack. A screamer shot by Smolov made the ball hit the crossbar at first, and then a few seconds later FC Spartak goalie Selikhov saved the ball below the crossbar after a crafty if not strong shot by Claesson. Those chances were followed by two dangerous attacks the visitors retaliated with. The first one was crowned with a shot taken by Melgarejo, but the black-green keeper Sinitsyn coped well with it. The second attack on the 8th minute made the Bulls restart from the centre of the pitch nevertheless. Promes burst into the opposite penalty area on the left providing the ball to Melgarejo. The latter proceeded with a one-touch shot, but even as Sinitsyn parried the ball aside Kombarov was there to finish the episode. The Moscow left-back produced a diagonal pass from the end-line that was met with a shot by Luiz Adriano on the volley. The ball passed through a pack of players finding its way inside the net.
The game then followed the same pattern. Both teams were seeking their fortunes next to the opposite goal with the ball spending little to no time in the midfield. The Red-Whites looked more solid and dangerous in the final third though going as far as to improve their lead on the 28th minute as a result. Luiz Adriano served as an assistant this time, while his attacking partner Zé Luís left Gritsayenko behind and shot the ball into the second corner of the net at a short range with no chance for Sinitsyn to save it. The Moscow team began playing even more confidently after gaining such an advantage, so late in the first half they launched a few more dangerous attacks, but the score remained the same until the half-time.
Substitutions were made by the head coaches on both sides during the half-time interval. Joãozinho replaced Podberyozkin with FC Krasnodar, while Zobnin made his first appearance on pitch in almost half a year after substituting Yeshchenko. The home team began playing more aggressively, so they received a decent chance to shorten the gap on the 51st minute. A penetrating pass by Smolov found Claesson next to the corner of the goal area, but even as the Swede beat Dzhikiya within a small area he was unable to outdo Selikhov at close quarters.
The game moved to the away half of the pitch for a while, so the visitors began killing time as they tried to disrupt the attacking momentum of the Bulls. Igor Shalimov went a bull and fielded attack-oriented Wanderson instead of more defensive Shishkin. FC Spartak boss Massimo Carrera responded with two rearrangements of his own as he released Samsonov and Pašalić substituting Glushakov and Melgarejo, both of whom had begun limping almost simultaneously. FC Spartak ceded the initiative to the home team once and for all, but they also exploited their time-killing tactics trying to make the most of it. As for the Krasnodar squad, they had trouble creating chances. Mid through the second half Smolov had one and attempted a shot from inside the box, but the ball went over the target. On the 79th minute Smolov and Claesson took turns trying to shoot on goal, but they were both blocked by the defenders in time.
It seemed there would be no more goals in the time that remained, but the teams did provide the spectators with one hell of an ending as they scored three goals at the death. On the 86th minute Promes beat an opponent on the left flank crossing the ball to the second pole where Luiz Adriano arrived running and finished it accurately. No more than two minutes had passed when FC Krasnodar finally succeeded with a trademark attack along the centre. Pereyra brought Viktor Claesson to a shooting position with a fine pass, and the Swede shot the ball into Selikhov’s domain close to its second pole.
And yet, it was the Moscow team that made the final statement in this match. The visitors caught the Krasnodar players off guard with a counterattack while those were engaged in a massive attack that had exposed their rear. Zé Luís brought Quincy Promes to a rendezvous with Sinitsyn, and the Dutchman made a good use of his chance in cold blood. After the second win against the Bulls this season FC Spartak has climbed to the fourth position in the standings, while FC Krasnodar has slipped two positions down and is currently fifth in the RFPL table.