Astrakhan Volgar and SKA received a point each

Our team opened the football year with a home game against Khabarovsk SKA.

The meeting began with active actions by the Volgar players, which led to a yellow card for Podberezkin, who grossly fouled Denis Tkachuk.

In the 23rd minute, Volgar carried out a good counterattack. Tkachuk took the ball in the center of the field and redirected it to Lesnikov, but our forward’s shot was blocked by Oleg Kozhemyakin. Two minutes later, Tkachuk took a free kick, but the ball flew over the crossbar.

Khabarovsk responded with a tight shot from Charles, which Odoevsky coped with, despite the fact that the linesman recorded an offside position.

In the 37th minute, the active actions of the Volgar captain led to a dangerous moment, but Imamov made an impressive jumping play and prevented the threat.

Three minutes later, Charles was again at the forefront of SKA’s attack. And again Odoevsky played superbly, parrying the Ivorian’s shot into the near corner.

Volgar again started the second half more active than their opponents. Tkachuk completed two set pieces. His shot in the 54th hit the wall, and five minutes later the captain’s cross found its addressee in Ilya Zuev, who made a pass at Obivalin, but Sergei’s shot went over the goal.

In the 66th minute, Volgar missed a real chance to take the lead. Krotov and Lesnikov played one-two, Vyacheslav delivered a cross to the far post, but Gilyazetdinov, who came running, hit the crossbar with his head.

In the 73rd minute, SKA missed a crazy chance. Charles pulled three defenders on himself and made a cutting pass to Savinov, but the Khabarovsk midfielder’s shot went wide of the post. Five minutes later, Rukas finished off the corner, but was again inaccurate.

And yet, in the 82nd minute, SKA’s standard worked. Simonyan crossed from the corner, and Kirill Nikitin was the first to rebound. Having fought back against Kozhemyakin, Kirill crossed to the goal line, from where Andrei Nikitin hit Odoevsky’s goal.

“Volgar” responded with its own standard. Martova was the first to rebound after Poluboyarinov’s cross, but our number ten’s shot went wide of the post.

But two minutes later the score was level. The same Martovoy moved from the left flank to the center and tried to shoot, but hit an opponent, from whom the ball ricocheted to Vyacheslav Krotov. Our forward reacted to the rebound and sent the ball into the far corner.

Already in injury time, Krotov had a chance to score a double. But after his free kick the ball licked the post. And immediately after this moment, referee Ivan Sidenkov blew the final whistle.

Volgar will play their next match on March 9. Sergei Pavlov’s team will host Khimki at home.