FC Krasnodar and PFC Sochi started their performance in the Russian Cup, and also played ten times

We won, but did not become the first

In the middle of last week, Barsy played in the first round in the upper half of the Russian Cup bracket (“The Way of the Russian Premier League”). The game was held in Voronezh against the local Torch. In this meeting, as part of the Sochi team, Nikolai Zabolotny stood at the gate. The defense line was Artem Meshchaninov, Igor Yurganov and Marcelo Alves. Captain Kirill Zaika, Amir Batyrev, Kirill Kravtsov, Yuri Medvedev acted in the middle. In the attack – Miguel Silveira, Nikita Burmistrov, on the edge – Ivan Ignatiev.

The game started at a leisurely pace. “Torch” as the hosts began to attack the opponent, but the team of Dmitry Khokhlov, thanks to pressure, seized the initiative. “Kurortniki” responded with an attack, and already in the sixth minute of the match, Ignatiev scored a goal. However, the chief referee Sergei Cheban recorded offside.

Ten minutes after the start of the match, it began to rain in Voronezh, both teams continued to attack, however, they did not manage to create something truly dangerous for a long time.

Only in the 21st minute of the match, the Sochi team carried out a protracted positional attack, Burmistrov from the right flank made a canopy into the center of the penalty area, and there Silveira was left without guardianship and sent the ball into the far corner with his head – 0: 1. In general, the game took place in the half of the field ” Torches. True, after the goal Sochi noticeably slowed down and paid the price for it. Goal Voronezh happened in the 28th minute of the match. Nikita Motspan kicked a corner from the right, the midfielder of “Torch” hung in the center of the goalkeeper’s area, where Vasily Chernov beat Medvedev and shot into Zabolotny’s goal.

After that, the game revived. Both teams ran to score, however, again they failed to create something dangerous. Already in stoppage time of the first half, Kravtsov left three Torch players, the Sochi midfielder ran along the penalty area, jumped into its center, gathering five players around him at once, then shot down on goal – 1: 2.

After the break, the “leopards” began to play much more powerfully. First, Kravtsov created a scoring chance, then Ignatiev beat. In both cases, Fakel was saved by goalkeeper Vitaly Gudiev. At some point, the hosts seized the initiative and began to besiege the opponent’s gate. But Sochi confidently kept the defense.

At the 68th minute of the meeting, the guests had a good counterattack, Luka Djordjevic received a pass from the depths, went one on one with the goalkeeper, but Fedor Kudryashov made a foul of the last hope and demolished the Montenegrin. Cheban issued a red card to the defender.

In the majority, it was easier for the Sochi residents to keep the victory. In the 78th minute, Medvedev quickly played a wall with Djordjevic, who brought the midfielder one on one. Medvedev was covered, but the ball flew off Zaika, who disposed of it perfectly – 1: 3.

The first three points in the Cup of Russia did not allow Sochi residents to take first place. In group A, where the Barsy are, CSKA defeated Orenburg with a score of 0:6 and rightfully became the first.

Played worse and lost

A day later, the “bulls” in the first round in the upper half of the bracket of the Russian Cup (“The Way of the Russian Premier League”) took home the capital’s “Spartak”. It was possible to get to this meeting without a Fan ID, so the stadium was almost full. The game was attended by 31733 spectators.

For this meeting, Vladimir Ivic released both experienced players and those who play little at the base. The place at the gate was taken by Stanislav Agkatsev. For the first time, newcomer Alexander Ektov played for Krasnodar. At the same time, Eduard Spertsyan, Junior Alonso, Sergey Volkov, Olakunle Olusegun and others are higher at the start.

“Bulls” ran to attack from the very first minutes. But their speed was low, and there was little sharpness in their actions. But there was a lot of struggle in the center of the field. Spartak gradually took the initiative into their own hands, the guests had more possession of the ball, attacked more. True, for a long time they failed to create something dangerous.

In the 21st minute, Roman Zobnin joined on the left flank, burst into the penalty area, received a pass from Daniil Khlusevich, beat Ilzat Akhmetov and sent the ball into the far corner of the goal from the corner of the goalkeeper’s area. Agkatsev did not help.

It would seem that after a missed goal, the “townspeople” should have run to recoup. But that did not happen. Krasnodar looked unsure, did not create dangerous chances, played with long-range passes. And at the very end of the first half, the hosts were in the minority. Spertsyan played rudely against Anton Zinkovsky, chief referee Alexei Sukhoi rightly issued the Krasnodar captain a red card. The official website of the “citizens” reported that this was the first removal in the career of an Armenian football player.

After the “bulls” remained in the minority, the hope that they could recoup disappeared. “Spartak” looked clearly more convincing on the field during the equality of the compositions. Having taken the lead, the “red-whites” did not go on the defensive, they still attacked Agkatsev’s goal.

Guests could score more. In the 55th minute, Quincy Promes went one on one – then the goalkeeper of the “bulls” saved. A couple of minutes later, Nikita Chernov hit his head in the corner of the goal, Agkatsev again reacted perfectly. A minute later, the goalkeeper parried a blow from Promes down.

Salvation could not take place indefinitely, in the 67th minute Daniil Prutsev hit from the outskirts of the penalty line, but hit the defender. The ball bounced to the center of Theo Bongonda, the Congolese newcomer scored a goal.

Krasnodar looked helpless. The shots that they delivered on goal were long-range and did not carry danger. Only in stoppage time the hosts seemed to wake up and run. As a result, in the fifth minute of added time of the match, Nikita Krivtsov played into the center of the penalty area for John Cordoba, the Colombian passed to Ektov, the defender shot into the goalkeeper’s area, where Kadi had already driven the ball into the net – 1: 2.

Krasnodar could snatch a draw in this match. Already in the eighth minute of added time of the match, Batchi hung from the right from the penalty area to the far post, from there he beat Cordoba, who sent the ball over the crossbar. If the bulls had played like this before, the outcome of the match could well have been different. And so – the first defeat of the season and the last place in group D of the Cup of Russia.

Won five derbies in a row

A few days later, Krasnodar hosted Sochi. The game was held as part of the second round of the Russian Championship. The result of this meeting depended on which of the teams would lead the standings of the Russian Premier League. But the game did not gather many fans. It was visited by only 13283 spectators. The Fan ID factor continues to have a critical impact on stadium attendance. Or maybe it’s the football that the Ivic team shows?

Barça tried to score an early goal right away. The Khokhlov team started off briskly, however, Silveira’s efforts were clearly not enough. Sochi residents still could not count on their undisputed leader – Christian Noboa.

Krasnodar took the initiative, but, as in the previous match with Spartak, it looked clearly weak. Ivic’s team had neither speed nor sharp attacking play. The current Krasnodar did not differ in the speed of decisions made. Each kick was made by the players after a second pause. Unsurprisingly, the first part of the match was quite boring.

Only in the last minute of the first half, Spertsyan kicked a corner right into the goal, Zabolotny could not repel this blow, but Kaio, who was running up, drove the ball into the net.

After the break, Sochi ran to recoup. Guests immediately managed to create a dangerous moment. Artur Yusupov, on the approach to the penalty area, shot at the goal, the ball ricocheted from Kevin Lenini’s foot and flew over the collar of Matvey Safonov, but eventually hit the crossbar. “Krasnodar” in this episode is clearly lucky.

Five minutes later, miraculously, Akhmetov did not score. First, Cordoba hit Zabolotny’s goal, but the ball bounced to the goalkeeper’s line, where the Kyrgyz ran. The midfielder was already shooting at the gate, but Vanja Drkusic blocked his shot in a jump.

By the middle of the second half, Krasnodar played out. Alonso shot under the crossbar, but Zabolotny saved Sochi. A couple of minutes later, the Paraguayan tried again. The defender closed Cayo’s shot, but missed the goal from a meter away. In the next episode, the guest goalkeeper saved his team after a strong long-range free kick by Spertsyan.

Until the end of the match, the game calmed down. Only in extra time, the “bulls” were able to score one more goal. A quick attack by the hosts – and now Cordoba from outside the penalty area delivered an excellent shot on goal from under the defender. Zabolotny did not get this ball – 2: 0.

The victory allowed Krasnodar to gain a foothold in first place. With six points, the Bulls share it with Spartak, but they are ahead of the team from Tushin in terms of the difference between goals scored and conceded.

Despite the unconvincing performance on the field, the “townspeople” start the Russian championship well. Now, when the game of each team is just getting better after the off-season, Ivic has a great chance to break away from the favorites so that later he can make mistakes. This tactic has repeatedly brought success to football teams around the world. The current Krasnodar definitely gives hope to the fans.