4-2 Again! The Bulls Are Leading the RPL
FC Krasnodar 4-2 (1-1) FC Krylia Sovetov Samara
Goals: Sobolev (Kabutov), 12 (0-1), Suleymanov (Petrov), 16 (1-1), Olsson (Ari), 48 (2-1), Ryzhikov, 57, own goal (3-1), Ari, 67 (4-1), Anton, 75, penalty kick (4-2).
Missed penalty kicks: Sobolev, 45 (goalkeeper), Ari, 67 (goalkeeper).
FC Krasnodar: Safonov, Ramírez, Spajić, Martynovich, Petrov, Kambolov (Utkin, 61), Vilhena, Olsson, Wanderson (Namli, 76), Suleymanov, Ari (Ignatyev, 69).
FC Krylia Sovetov Samara: Ryzhikov, Poluyakhtov, Chernov, Karpov, Kombarov (Terekhov, 61), Gațcan, Timofeyev (Anton, 67), Kanunnikov, Zinkovskiy, Kabutov (Radonjić, 80), Sobolev.
Yellow cards: Kambolov, 45 (attack breakdown), Martynovich, 50 (foul play), Spajić, 74 (attack breakdown), Vilhena, 81 (foul play) – Kabutov, 34 (systematic fouls), Gațcan, 66 (attack breakdown).
Referees: Karasev (Moscow), Averianov (Moscow), Demeshko (Khimki).
15 September 2019. Krasnodar. FC Krasnodar Stadium. Clear. 20 degrees. 26 131 spectators.
The beginning of the tonight’s game was rough for the black-greens. Early on the 12th minute Sobolev met a cross by Kabutov and FC Krylia Sovetov scored an opener. And yet, no more than five minutes later Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov received the ball from Petrov deep inside the opposite box and shot it with his second touch past the goalie. 1-1!
Just before the half-time Samara team received a chance to tilt the game in their favor again when the VAR system was for the first time used directly at the Krasnodar Stadium. The ball bounced off Kambolov’s arm after a shot by Zinkovskiy and flew towards the left corner of the goal making Safonov redirect this menace to a corner kick. Referee Sergei Karasev reviewed the episode however and decided to call for a penalty kick. Sobolev was supposed to execute it and thus score a brace, but as he shot the ball on goal, next to the right pole now, Matvei Safonov saved it again in an amazing way.
The Bulls began the second half with a mighty two-punch blow. At first Ari flicked the ball to Kristoffer Olsson, and the Swede pocketed the pigskin into the second corner of the net as if it was a pool game. On the 57th minute Wanderson Maciel caught Ryzhikov off guard with a shot on the first corner that made the ball bounce off the keeper and scuttle inside the net. FC Krasnodar established a two-goal lead now.
In the time that remained both teams traded one goal each. Ari failed to execute a penalty kick ordered by the referee who had used the VAR system again. One way or another, the Russian Brazilian finished the ball after a rebound anyway and did not leave the pitch without a scored goal. On the 75th minute Karasev ordered the third penalty kick in the game (all of them for handball in the box) and Paul Anton managed to trick Safonov this time.
FC Krasnodar won the second match in a row with the same 4-2 score. The Bulls go on running their record breaking schedule in the Russian Premier League, and they are still the leaders in the league standings.
