Monday, April 13, 2009

Russian Premier League: Matchday 4 Round-Up

Friday
Kryliya Sovetov (Samara) 3 - 0 FC Khimki

The Metallurg Stadium was the venue for the game between Kryliya Sovetov and FC Khimki. 16,000 Samara fans would have enjoyed the short trip home, singing "we are top of the league".

Not so for the away team as they now languish at the bottom of the ladder.

The first goal of the game went to tall Czech striker Jan Koller in the 23rd minute. Ruslan Adzhindzhal added a second for Krylia Sovetov; the 34 year-old Russian midfielder converted a penalty in the 66th minute of play.

The scoring was finished by Timofey Kalachev; the Belarus midfielder scoring in the 79th minute of play.

FORM GUIDE
Kryliya Sovetov (Samara):
WWLW
Points: 9 Position: 1

FC Khimki: DLLL
Points: 1 Position: 16

Saturday
FC Moscow 3-1 Spartak Moscow

The first of the big Russian derbies took place at FC Moscow’s home ground, the Eduard Streltsov Stadium, where 12,000 souls saw FC Moscow triumph over their cross town rivals.

Report
Edgaras Cesnauskis scored FC Moscow’s first goal of the season, the Lithuanian midfielder scored right on the one minute mark. The 25 year-old was able to profit from the good work of the tall and hairy Argentinian striker Héctor Bracamonte.

The man they call “Braca” was juggling the ball in the box and as he turned to shoot the ball, it fell invitingly to Cesnauskis and he slotted away the goal from only six yards.

The team formerly known as FC Torpedo-Metallurg doubled their lead in the 16th minute. 22 year-old defender Alexandru Epureanu netting the strike.

A free kick was awarded on the left hand side of the pitch and Alexander Samedov struck the cross low and hard towards the Spartak penalty area; the ball was flicked on by the man-beast, “Braca”, and the Moldovan easily slotted the header away from three yards out.

Spartak Moscow where trying to make some inroads with Brazilian Wellington getting in space, however the Moldovan goal scorer Epureanu was involved in some fine blocks that broke up Spartak’s attacks.

As the end of the first half was approaching, Spartak started to get more control of the midfield through Brazilian Alex however the FC Moscow defence was holding strong.

Second Half

The first 10 minutes of the second half saw both teams try and play the ball on the ground as Spartak looked to claw back parity while FC Moscow looked to extend their lead and should have done 55 minutes in.

A teasing cross by right full-back Kirill Nababkin found former Shakhtar Donetsk striker Zvonomir Vucic, who contrived to miss the goal from only a few yards in front.

Spartak Moscow should have got a goal back in the 60th minute of play but a fine header from Alex was cleared off the line by the in-form Alexandru Epureanu who was everywhere for the home side.

The middle of the second half saw Dmitri Tarasov, the Russian attacking midfielder, make the scoreline more emphatic for FC Moscow. The 22 year-old extended the lead with a great header to make it 3-0 in the 70th minute.

It was another set piece from 24 year-old midfielder Samadov that undid the Spartak Moscow defence.

Late in the game, it was Brazilian attacking midfielder Alex who scored a penalty for Spartak Moscow, making the final score 3-1 for the hosts.

FORM GUIDE
FC Moscow – LDDW
Points: 5 Position: 7
Spartak Moscow – DLWL
Points: 4 Position: 10

Terek Grozny 1-2 Rubin Kazan

Last year’s champions Rubin Kazan put aside their recent poor form where they only managed two goalless draws to beat the team from Chechnya, Terek Grozny, 2-1.

Rubin’s goals came in the first half, firstly through 33 year-old Russian international midfielder Sergei Semak in the 18th minute.

Then the gifted Argentine attacking midfielder Alejandro Dominguez doubled the lead a couple of minutes later.

Shamil Lakhiyalo got a 90th minute consolation goal for the home fans to make final score line 2-1.

Rubin are up to third after this game while Terek fall to 6th after leading the RPL last week.

FORM GUIDE
Terek Grozny - WDWL
Points: 7 Position: 6
Rubin Kazan -WDDW
Points: 8 Position: 3

Dinamo Moscow 1-0 FC Rostov

Dinamo Moscow were part of the winners circle this week as the oldest team in Russian football put aside last week’s defeat to Terek Grozny to go to joint top of the RPL ladder.

The home support of 8,054 at the Noviye Khimki ground saw 26 year-old Russian international forward, Alexander Kerzhakov, convert a penalty in the 77th minute to take his tally in the RPL to three goals.

FORM GUIDE
Dinamo Moscow - WWLW
Points: 9 Position: 2
FC Rostov - DDWL
Points: 5 Position: 8

FC Kuban Krasnodar 0-0 Tom Tomsk

The Kuban Stadium saw a very healthy crowd of 23,000 watch two teams that are not expected to be title contenders battle it out.Unfortunately the Kubansty home fans saw only saw a 0-0 draw played out against Tom Tomsk.

FORM GUIDE

FC Kuban Krasnodar - LWLD
Points: 4 Position: 13
Tom Tomsk - LWL D
Points: 4 Position: 12

Sunday
CSKA Moscow 4-1 Lokomotiv MoscowZico’s team was able to thrash a disappointing Lokomotiv Moscow 4-1 in the game of the round.The first goal for CSKA Moscow came in the 35th minute; a free kick just outside the Lokomotiv box was set up for the young Russian international Alan Dzagoev to score a sublime opener.

Yuri Zhirkov doubled the lead for CSKA in the 55th minute, finishing off a nice move that started off just inside the home team’s own half. Alan Dzagoev then scored his second of the match in the 72nd minute to make the score 3-0 for the home side.

A Milos Krasic floating cross found the young ace in the six yard box and the number 10 for CSKA Moscow made the header look quite easy.

Vagner Love’s absence was all but forgotten as the 18 year old basically owned this game.

Marko Basa the Montenegro defender got a consolation goal for the away team scoring in the 79th minute but four minutes from full time the Army men extended their lead. Zhirkov set up the Nigerian, Moussa Maazou; the 20 year-old scoring on his debut.

FORM GUIDE
CSKA Moscow – WLDW
Points: 7 Position: 5
Lokomotiv Moscow – DDWL
Points: 5 Position: 9

Zenit St Petersburg 0-0 Amkar Perm

Zenit missed their chance to go top of the RPL as they could only manage a nil all draw at the Petrovski Stadium in front of 19,500.

The second half had five yellow cards given to Amkar Perm players.

FORM GUIDE
Zenit St Petersburg – DWWD
Points: 8 Position: 4 Amkar Perm – DLDD
Points: 3 Position: 15

Spartak Nalchik 1-1 Saturn Moscow

The last game of match day four was played at Spartak Stadium. 12,000 fans watched on as Spartak Nalchik and the Aliens of Saturn Moscow Oblast score goals in the final six minutes of the game.
An entertaining finale saw Georgian international, 31 year old Alexander Amisulashvili, score in the 82nd minute for Spartak Nalchick; while for the Aliens, 33 year old Bosnia-Herzegovina international Marko Topic equalised a minute later.

FORM GUIDE
Spartak Nalchik – LDLD
Points: 2 Position: 15
The Aliens – LLWD
Points: 4 Position: 11


Con Stamocostas, Goal.com

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