PFC CSKA Moscow 2-1 (0-0) FC Krasnodar
Goals: Gazinsky, 53 (Wanderson, 0-1), Musa, 73 (1-1), Musa, 85 (2-1).
PFC CSKA Moscow: Akinfeev, Fernandes, Ignashevich, А. Berezutski (Natkho, 69), V. Berezutski, Nababkin (Shchennikov, 61), Bistrović, Golovin, Kuchayev (Vitinho, 59), Musa, Chalov.
FC Krasnodar: Sinitsyn, Ramírez, Granqvist, Martynovich, Shishkin, Gazinsky, Pereyra, Shatov (Joãozinho, 16), Claesson, Mamayev, Wanderson (Ivan, 84).
Yellow cards: Kuchayev, 21 (foul play) – Mamayev, 43 (foul play).
Referees: Lapochkin (Saint Petersburg), Vorontsov (Yaroslavl), Shiryaev (Stavropol).
22 April 2018. Moscow. VEB Arena Stadium. Cloudy. 3 degrees. 19 774 spectators.
After the big 3-0 win over FC Arsenal Tula at home FC Krasnodar departed to Moscow, still cold and almost winter-like, to play against the local PFC CSKA. This particular match was of a great importance for the distribution of positions in the standings, with medals and qualification for the UEFA Champions League as the main trophies. The problem was FC Krasnodar boss Murad Musayev had to do without several key players who could otherwise help their team. Smolov had to miss this match because of his suspension that resulted from the unjustified yellow card he had received in a previous game. Full-back Petrov was another suspended player with the Bulls due to four yellow cards. Midfielders Kaboré and Laborde were injured and did not travel to
The beginning of the game was very active as both teams wasted no time and began trading attacks recklessly. As early as on the 7th minute Wanderson (he acted as a striker while Smolov was absent) left defenders behind in attempt to meet Akinfeev in a one-on-one situation. The CSKA goalie managed to shorten the distance to a minimum saving his team from a sure goal. Alas, with first quarter of the game over the black-greens lost Shatov. The Krasnodar midfielder began to limp when the previously received injury took its toll, so he had to cede his position on a field of play to Joãozinho.
This loss was a serious blow to the Bulls’ performance. The Horses got hold of the midfield gradually, and soon enough Sinitsyn had to show his reaction when he parried an aimed shot by Golovin from outside the box. A bit later the Krasnodar keeper repelled the ball with his fists after another salvo fired by the CSKA No. 17 from a free kick. The ball then hit Granqvist and, luckily for the black-greens, left the pitch in a dangerous proximity to the goal. The most prominent save was done by Sinitsyn three minutes to the half-time when Chalov arrived to a rendezvous with him. The CSKA forward took a strong low shot, but our goalkeeper was able to reach to the ball and redirect it to the corner kick.
Early in the second half the Krasnodar team made the game more or less equal and began retaliating against the monotonous attacks of the Red-blues with their own sweeping counterattacks. One of them brought success to the Bulls on the 53rd minute. Yury Gazinsky received the ball on entering the opposite penalty area, played a fine wall pass combination with Wanderson, found himself in front of the lonely Akinfeev and shot the ball into the net over the goalie’s hands in cold blood.
Immediately after that the manager of the home team, Viktor Goncharenko, began hurling fresh troops into a fray in order to improve his team’s attack. Kuchayev and Nababkin were replaced by Vitinho and Shchennikov accordingly, and then Natkho was fielded instead of Aleksei Berezutski. These substitutions brought little benefit to the Armeitsy for a while. On the contrary, it was FC Krasnodar that looked more dangerous in the final third. And yet, on the 73rd minute Ahmed Musa’s individual skills allowed the Moscow team to make the score equal again. His first shot hit some Krasnodar player, but the ball then bounced to the same CSKA Nigerian who finished it from eighteen meters. The ball went directly into the top corner of Sinitsyn’s domain bouncing from the crossbar in the process.
The Red-blues, reassured with an equalizer, rushed forward and that same Ahmed Musa made the home team victorious at the death. The decisive goal resulted from a ridiculously unlucky series of events. Claesson beat an opponent in a race to the ball and pushed it towards his own goal and, unfortunately, directly to the CSKA striker’s foot. The latter then proceeded with an ideally strong and accurate shot into the second corner of the goal.
This regrettable defeat was far from what the Bulls deserved in this game, and it made their prospective UEFA Champions League career next season rather dubious. One way or another, and Murad Musayev confirmed it during his press-conference after the game, the team will go on fighting as long they have even a slightest chance. The Bulls will certainly try to achieve the best result in every one of the three matches that remain.