People's Tournament

Of the eight Russian Cup candidates, only three are Premier League clubs

The Russian Football Premier League suffered another loss in the Russian Cup. However, they were planned for the 1/8 finals. In the meeting of the two teams most interested in this trophy, “Spartak” and “Moscow”, the “citizens” turned out to be stronger - 2:1. The next opponent of Miodrag Bozovic's team will be his former Amkar. And the winner of this pair has every chance to advance to Zenit.

“Moscow” has recently been considered the most inconvenient opponent for Spartak. City's head coach Miodrag Bozovic is inclined to explain this with revanchist sentiments - several of his team's players have a "red-white" past. Kirill Nababkin studied at the Spartak school, Sheshukov was the captain of the Spartak double, the Red-White student Tarasov also played there, Samedov, when moving from Spartak to Lokomotiv for $3.5 million, set a transfer record at that time. Together with Rebko, whom Hiddink noticed in the second team of the “red-whites,” it turns out that exactly half of Moscow’s field players received a Spartak education.

The blow to their pride was dealt already in the eighth minute, even if it turned out to be a little clumsy for defender Makeev. But ricochets helped Spartak open the scoring, despite the fact that Moscow conceded after a corner, while set pieces are considered the most reliable weapon of Bozovic’s team. However, the guests played back in exactly the same way after half time. And again, after a corner, Makeev sent the ball into the net, although this time it was his own goal. In order not to upset the young defender, the goal was credited to Česnauskis, who was jumping nearby.

Spartak, faced with a tactically well-structured game by the opponent, for a long time could not create anything dangerous near Zhevnov’s goal. No matter how hard the Argentinean Maidana, who returned from loan, tried, all his activity ended in the 40th minute along with the injury he received. A couple of minutes later, Karpin's team remained in the minority. “Moscow” had been carrying out sharp attacks up to this point, during which the central defenders of the “red and whites” could not keep up with Vukic. And if once Dzhanaev coped with Vukich’s one-on-one situation, then the second time Kovalchuk decided to help his goalkeeper. The referee regarded the midfielder's violation as a foul of last resort, and Spartak was left with ten men.

Outnumbered, Karpin's team was forced to retreat to their goal, and Moscow, afraid of missing a sharp counterattack, was unable to create dangerous chances for a long time. In the 75th minute, the “townspeople” finally organized a combination. Having separated the players from the opponent's center of defense, the guests brought Strelkov out to strike, and the striker was accurate - 2:1. Considering that Moscow has never conceded twice in one match this season, Spartak’s chances of saving the game could be considered almost zero.

Other representatives of the Premier League also had a hard time. “Amkar” only put the finishing touches on the representative of the second division “Avangard” from Podolsk in the last minutes - 2:1. Zenit almost lost to Nizhny Novgorod. The first goal was scored only by the acquired Italian Rosina. Apparently, it was in vain that Advocaat was dissatisfied with the players bought for him. But the St. Petersburg team, who calmed down too early, lost their advantage. And only in extra time, Krizanac's goal may have saved Dick Advocaat from a not very pleasant point in his St. Petersburg stage of his career - 2:1.

Russian Cup. 1/8 finals. "Chelyabinsk" (D2) -- "Mordovia" (D2) -- 0:2 (Mukhametshin 24, 26), "Ural" (D1) -- "Sibir" (D1) -- 1:2 (Gerk 63 -- Medvedev 49, Lipatkin 60), Amkar - Avangard Podolsk (D2) - 2:1 (Zhilyaev 31, Novakovich 85 - Duyun 33), Luch-Energia (D1) - SKA-Energia "(D1) -- 2:1 (Mamaev 60, Rodenkov 101 -- Karmazinenko 63), "Volga" Tver (D2) -- "Baltika" (D1) -- 2:2 (Uzoikin 7, Sapogov 77 -- Revyakin 26, Korovushkin 41), 4:2 on penalties, "Alania" (D1) -- "Volgar-Gazprom-2" -- 2:1 (Dadu 51, Godunok 105 -- Nesterenko), "Spartak" -- "Moscow" - 1:2 (Makeev 8 - Chesnauskis 28, Strelkov 75), Zenit - Nizhny Novgorod - 2:1 (Rozina 38, Krizanac 98 - Zyuzin 81) .

Andrey VDOVIN