FC Ural Yekaterinburg 0-3 (0-0) FC Krasnodar
Goals: Vilhena (Cabella), 62, Vilhena, 85, Córdoba, 90+5 (penalty kick)
Missed penalty kick: Bicfalvi, 45+3.
FC Ural Yekaterinburg: Pomazun, Adamov, Gerasimov, Augustyniak, Kulakov, Yegorychev (Maksimenko, 84), Podberyozkin (Miškić, 75), Ibrahimaj (Zheleznov, 66), Bicfalvi, Kolesnichenko, Panyukov (Ageyev, 66).
FC Krasnodar: Safonov, Vilhena, Sorokin, Kaio, Petrov, Chernikov, Gazinsky (Ramírez, 85), Spertsyan, Claesson (Córdoba, 60), Suleymanov (Cabella, 60), Ionov (Ilyin, 88).
Yellow cards: Bicfalvi, 60, Gerasimov, 78 – Spertsyan, 53, Chernikov, 89.
Referees: Kazartsev, Kudryavstev (both Saint Petersburg), Vorontsov (Yaroslavl).
VAR: Sidenkov (Saint Petersburg), Kobzev (Moscow).
25 July 2021. Yekaterinburg. Yekaterinburg Arena Stadium». Sunny. 20 degrees.
FC Krasnodar began its opening match of the season in a powerful way. Early on the 3rd minute Spertsyan earned a free kick and sent the ball over the crossbar a few seconds later. Soon Pomazun had to enter the game twice after a couple of solid shots by Ionov. The best scoring chance of the Bulls in the first half belonged to Suleymanov though. Claesson crossed the ball into the centre of the box where Ionov let it through to Shapi who fired a shot that went next to the goalpost from the 6-yard line.
As for FC Ural, they created a single chance before half-time and barely missed scoring. On the 43rd minute, the black-greens overlooked a double danger when Panyukov took a fall in the away team's box after a minor contact with Vilhena. The ball finally arrived to Ibrahimaj, but Safonov parried the menace. The episode was not over yet, as Kazartsev the referee called for a penalty based on the work of the VAR. Fortunately, the score underwent no change since Matvei Safonov saved the penalty kick from Bicfalvi!
Soon after the interval, both teams traded some shots. Safonov saved a nasty one after a header by Panyukov while Claesson shook the crossbar after a pass from Ionov. One way or another, it was the Krasnodar team that scored an opener when Tonny Vilhena netted the ball in the near corner with a rebound.
Spertsyan and Córdoba could have doubled the lead, but the shell actually hit the same spot. Vilhena quickly reassessed the second ball situation and took a mighty screamer from the 18-yard line into the corner of the goal. There was no ricochet effect this time. Late in the injury time, Jhon Córdoba scored the third one doing it in his maiden game with FC Krasnodar. The Colombian striker earned a penalty kick and executed it himself. The Bulls hence began the Russian Premier League season of 2021/22 with a runaway win in Yekaterinburg.
FC Ural Yekaterinburg 0-3 FC Krasnodar
84 (14) Attacks (quick attacks) 83 (14)
9 Total shots 17
2 Blocked shots 2
4 Shots on goal 6
0 Woodwork 1
4 Scoring chances 10
64 Won duels 75
50% Ball possession 50%
430 (83%) Completed passed (accuracy) 364 (80%)
4 Corner kicks 6
1 Offsides 1
13 Fouls 11