FC Akhmat Grozny 0-2 (0-2) FC Krasnodar
Goals: Cabella (Spertsyan), 41, Ilyin (Cabella), 44.
FC Akhmat Grozny: Gudiyev, Todorović (Utsiyev, 21), Lystsov (Sadulayev, 46), Nižić, Semyonov, M. Bystrov, Timofeyev, Utkin (Putsko, 69), Konovalov, Konaté (Sebai, 46), Arkhipov (Karapuzov, 46).
FC Krasnodar: Safonov, Ramírez, Kaio, Spajić (Sorokin, 66), Kornyushin, Gazinsky, Krivtsov (Vilhena, 86), Spertsyan, Claesson, Cabella, Ilyin.
Yellow cards: Nižić, 55 – Spertsyan, 23, Ramírez, 68, Kornyushin, 80.
Red card: Nižić, 65.
Referees: Sidenkov (Saint Petersburg), Cheltsov (Moscow), Nazarov (Nevinnomyssk).
VAR: Kukulyak (Kaluga), Bolhovitin (Leningrad Oblast).
18 September 2021. Grozny. Akhmat Arena Stadium. 14 degrees. Scattered clouds.
For the game with FC Akhmat Grozny the black-greens fielded the squad that lacked several key players. This fact made Viktar Hancharenka draw on the Gazinsky-Krivtsov-Spertsyan trio in the midfield for the very first time. And yet, early on the third minute Krivtsov narrowly missed living up to his appearance in the first eleven when he bent the ball into the right corner of the net with the outside of his foot and hit the goalpost.
The first half went with struggle nonstop everywhere on the pitch and lunges were traded actively by both teams. Eduard Spertsyan and Rémy Cabella were the ones who helped FC Krasnodar to prevail in a game like that. On the 41st minute Spertsyan beat four opponents, entered the opposite box on the run, and flicked the ball to Cabella. All that remained for the French player to do was to avoid missing the far corner. Late in the first half Spertsyan also sped up a counterattack with a precise cross. Cabella then proceeded with a pass to the 6-yard line where Ilyin arrived just in time to meet the ball. Good job and 2-0 for FC Krasnodar!
In the second half the game became full of rough collisions. On the 65th minute the home team was left with a man down as Nižić received his second yellow card for an elbow strike against Spertsyan’s head. Not long after, Krivtsov could have finally scored a debut goal for FC Krasnodar after a pass from Cabella to the center of the box. He was out of luck again as this time his shot made the pigskin hit the left goalpost. On the 88th minute Viktor Claesson hit the same post again, and that summed up the woodwork.
One way or another, these minor setbacks did not affect the final result. The Bulls kept the clean sheet and brought three points home from Grozny.
FC Akhmat Grozny 0-2 FC Krasnodar
97 (15) Attacks (quick attacks) 82 (20)
10 Total shots 11
5 Blocked shots 3
2 Shots on goal 2
0 Woodwork 3
3 Scoring chances 6
87 Won duels 78
52% Ball possession 48%
367 (77%) Completed passes (accuracy) 364 (81%)
6 Corner kicks 3
4 Offsides 1
15 Fouls 11
