Spartak started with a victory in the new Cup

The only goal in the match was scored by striker Pavel Meleshin – this game was the debut for the 18-year-old football player in the main red-and-white team.

Fonbet Cup of Russia. Group B. Tushino. Spartak 1:0 Wings of the Soviets (Samara). Goal: Meleshin – 46

Only five players of the main team Guillermo Abascal released for the first match of the group stage of the Cup of the country. Ahead of the people’s team “Zenith”, and this is much more important than the opening game of the updated tournament. Igor Osinkin also changed the basis by half. Later, the Wings coach explained this by the density of games and a difficult match in the previous round of the RPL.

“Wings of the Soviets” made a clear emphasis on defense in Moscow: the Samartans played according to the 5-4-1 scheme. Abascal played the “herringbone” instead of the usual rhombus (4-3-2-1). The hosts started off briskly: first, the guests’ goalkeeper Ovsyannikov came to the rescue, repelling Ignatov’s dangerous shot. Then Gaponov from Samara from Ignatov “overslept” the jerk, and the goalkeeper of the “wings” had to “extinguish” the attack of the hosts in a fire order. The referees watched the VAR for a long time, then the referee of the match, Sergey Ivanov, also watched the “TV” and nevertheless pointed to the point. The indisputable penalty kick of Sobolev, who had a terrible meeting, was clearly and beautifully parried (with the help of the crossbar) by Ovsyannikov from Samara. Sobolev continued to act weird: he ruined three clear scoring chances, overexposed the ball, lashed out at his partners, argued with the referee, asking for penalties and cards. In general, it was not his day.

In the middle of the first half, the “wings” moved the game away from their own penalty area due to high pressure. By and large, the guests had no moments. Umyarov, who captained in this game, helped with the next “bring”, whose mistake had to be urgently corrected by Maksimenko.

In the second half, Samarans only managed to get out, as they immediately missed. Artem Sokolov came under pressure from Ignatov, while Denisov and Meleshin played a beautiful combination. The young red-and-white striker ahead of Gaponov, perfectly laid the ball into the net of the Samara gate.

This was followed by a triple substitution from Abaskal, and Meleshin leaving the field received a standing ovation from the stands. For some reason, Spartak ceased to disturb the Samara goalkeeper, and the guests were close to a goal. But Maksimenko and the red-and-whites were saved by the goal post. Sobolev was never able to realize any of the moments, and the released Promes was active, but no more …

“Our game was marked by the previous match, which was very difficult. Plus, of course, the fact that we have a small bench. We did what we could, but Spartak was simply stronger. It was not an easy match,” Osinkin, the coach of the guests, summed up the game.

To the question of the correspondent of our publication, whether he was satisfied with the game in general and Sobolev, in particular, the Spartak coach Abaskal answered in detail: “I thank the team for the mood. Let’s not forget that we recently had a difficult away match in Voronezh. From the first minutes we showed a desire to dominate. Despite the fact that the “Wings” played quite closed. It was important for us to start the Cup in a new format with a win. We should have scored second and decided the game earlier, but three points are three points. I’m happy with the result and happy with the way we played. We created many chances but didn’t score. Victory is victory. We once again played against an opponent who played with five defenders and did not give space. The guys who played today didn’t have much practice. I am pleased with the desire and attitude of the players to the cause. Sobolev? Sobolev I am also pleased. He does a lot of work.”

Vladimir Sabadash.

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