Postponed batch

The issue of the UEFA Cup “Spartak” will be decided away

Russian clubs risk losing their representation in Europe after the 1/16 of the UEFA Cup. After CSKA failed to win against the Israeli Maccabi, Spartak also failed to defeat their opponent at home. The Red-Whites reduced their first match with the Spanish Celta to a 1:1 draw, and now to continue the fight they need to score in the return match on February 22 in Vigo.

Before the match, Galician head coach Fernando Vazquez did not hide that the game with Spartak was of secondary importance for his team. “We consider the match with Spartak to be preparation for the Spanish Championship game with Osasuna,” Vazquez said, promising to field a semi-reserve squad in Moscow. It was not difficult to understand the head coach of the Galicians - his Celta team is in 18th place in the national championship standings and is fighting for survival. In such a situation, it was inappropriate to risk the leaders on the Luzhniki artificial turf in the cold. However, the weather did not disappoint Fernando Vazquez. “I thought it would be worse,” the Spanish coach shared the day before, saying that he was counting on a draw. Vazquez no longer stammered about victory - the last time his team won was on November 30 last year, defeating the Turkish Fenerbahce in the same UEFA Cup. By the way, this victory allowed Celta to continue playing in the tournament.

Spartak, which also grabbed third place in the Champions League group at the last moment, gained some experience from participating in European tournaments. Remembering their trip by metro before the game with Inter, this time the “red-whites” chose to drive up to Luzhniki in the morning. And in the evening, Vladimir Fedotov surprised me a little with his lineup. If the appearance of Dmitry Khomich in goal was still expected, then the replacement of Shishkin with Zheder in defense was a surprise, as was the presence of Torbinsky on the left flank of midfield.

However, even with this lineup, Spartak started the game quite actively. After one of the corners, Jiranek had a good chance to score, but the Czech defender shot straight into the goalkeeper's hands. Afterwards, Mozart took a dangerous free kick, Pavlyuchenko shot from an acute angle, and Torbinsky almost intercepted the visitors’ careless pass to his goalkeeper. And in the middle of the half, the Muscovites even opened the scoring - in the chaos at the goal, Pavlyuchenko pushed the ball into the net. However, the Cypriot team of referees, having recorded an offside, did not count the goal. In short, the course of the game did not imply any complications for the hosts. But Celta still managed to carry out a sharp counterattack. A superb combination, which started with a backheel pass, was completed by Nunez and the visitors went into the break with a 1-0 lead.

Dissatisfied with the play on the flanks, Vladimir Fedotov replaced both outside midfielders after the first half: instead of Bystrov and Torbinsky, Boyarintsev and Bazhenov entered the field. “Spartak” increased in activity, but not in the meaningfulness of its attacks. Passes from the flanks on horseback became quite easy prey for the Celta defenders, and the combination play of the “red-whites” did not work out. There were no dangerous moments, with the possible exception of Bazhenov’s shot, after which one of the Spanish team’s defenders knocked the ball off the tape.

But one day the hosts were lucky in this game. After Tamas, loaned by Spartak to Celta, fouled Titov dangerously close to the penalty area, Kalinichenko approached the ball. The Ukrainian midfielder's shot was not very dangerous, but the ball, having touched the head of one of the Celta players standing in the wall, flew into the corner - 1:1.

In the remaining time, the hosts tried to snatch victory, but were close to defeat. Already in the time compensated by the referee, substitute Baiano struck from a dangerous position. But Khomich saved his team, leaving the intrigue until February 22.

Andrey VDOVIN