FC Krasnodar 0-1 (0-1) PFC CSKA Moscow
Goal: А. Berezutski, 39 (Fernandes, 0-1).
FC Krasnodar: Sinitsyn, Petrov, Gritsayenko, Granqvist, Shishkin (Laborde, 73), Gazinskiy, Pereyra, Claesson, Ristić (Joãozinho, 46), Wanderson, Smolov.
PFC CSKA Moscow: Akinfeev, Fernandes, Ignashevich, А. Berezutski, Nababkin, Shchennikov, Natkho, Milanov, Kuchayev (Khosonov, 73), Olanare (Zhamaletdinov, 67), Vitinho (Gordyushenko, 89).
Yellow cards: Gazinskiy, 75 (foul play), Smolov, 84 (attack breakdown) – Natkho, 54 (attack breakdown).
Referees: Meshkov (Dmitrov), Gavrilin (Vladimir), Zhvakin (Leningrad Oblast).
14 October 2017. Krasnodar. FC Krasnodar Stadium. Cloudy. 14 degrees. 32 579 spectators.
It was the second time running for FC Krasnodar Stadium to host a full house of supporters. The CSKA team from the capital of Russia arrived to Krasnodar for MD 13 to meet the Bulls who had dramatically lost momentum in their last games. Both teams suffered from very serious squad troubles of a similar character. Since Martynovich was injured, the young Gritsayenko made his first appearance in the Premier League match alongside Granqvist in the centre of defense. Kaboré was forced to serve his suspension due to a red card received in Tula, so he was replaced by Ristić on the list of the first eleven and, technically, by Gazinskiy acting now as a defensive midfielder. Igor Shalimov also moved Claesson to the centre of the midfield thus placing the Serbian player to the right flank of attack. As for the PFC CSKA boss Viktor Goncharenko, a sheer number of players in the infirmary made him rearrange his lineup significantly, too.
The Krasnodar team immediately established a firm foothold in the opposite half of the pitch as if they owned it, and their very first attack, a lengthy and sweeping one, was finished with a shot on goal. Claesson attempted it from fourteen meters sending the ball exactly where the away goalie stood. The visitors reacted to this hint instantly as they switched to playing even more compactly in defense literally depriving the Bulls of a chance to enter their box. The Horses went as far as to take their turn threatening Sinitsyn’s domain on the 16th minute. Fortunately for the black-greens, Olanare missed with his shot from inside the penalty area.
The game became equal afterwards with both teams trading attacks now. Ristić took a strong low shot into the first corner, and the CSKA team was saved by good reflexes of their keeper Akinfeev. Sinitsyn also got hold of the ball after an aimed shot by Olanare that followed soon. A bit later Vitinho missed the target after an attempt from a penalty spot area. On the 36th minute Claesson took a shot on the run after a spectacular pass by Smolov, but a light rebound made the ball travel next to the goalpost.
Alas, another ricochet next to the home goal merely three minutes later led to an opener. Aleksei Berezutski supported the attack of the Red-blues and took a shot from the corner of the box. The ball hit Shishkin’s leg, changed direction, flew over Sinitsyn, hit the goalpost and finally crossed the goal-line. This scored goal allowed PFC CSKA to leave the pitch for a half-time interval with a minimal lead.
A substitution of Ristić for Joãozinho that took place in the dressing room was designed to enhance the flank actions of FC Krasnodar making them more aggressive and dangerous. Indeed, with five minutes played in the second half the home team should have totally scored an equalizer, but Claesson somehow failed with his shot from six meters while there was an empty corner of the net directly in front of him. Soon afterward Smolov successfully broke away from the defenders, but Akinfeev coped with his shot from the 18-yard line confidently.
It was not unlikely for the Bulls to actually deliver an equalizing goal had they continued in the same vein. Alas, the black-greens were doing that for the next ten minutes only, and then their attacking enthusiasm evaporated somehow, so the Army team was able to make the game equal again.
Even so the Krasnodar squad succeeded in pushing the Moscow team against the own goal in the last fifteen minutes of the game. The Bulls were sometimes acting recklessly as they made themselves an easy target for sharp counterattacks, but they went on pushing through the CSKA defense anyway. The ball did not want to get scored again though. As a result, Akinfeev recorded yet another clean sheet for himself, while his team left Krasnodar with three pointes thus leaving the black-greens behind in the RFPL standings.