Spartak won in anti-football conditions. How timely Sobolev returned to the team!

Spartak won in anti-football conditions. How timely Sobolev returned to the team!

Anatoly Romanov November 25, 2023, 22:06 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.

The center forward participated in the two scoring attacks of Abascal’s team.

“Spartak” and “Baltika” played the match of the 16th round of the RPL in non-football conditions. The rojiblancos won and placed among the top 4.

When referee Shafeev blew the opening whistle, I thought the chant “Puck! Puck!” Disk! relevant tonight more than ever. The Kaliningrad grass was a solid white carpet. The snow fell and fell. The goal line and penalty kicks were not visible, so after a few minutes of play the referee stopped the game and took a break to clean the field in the most important places. The pink and white ball was also visible with some difficulty; It would be worth finding a redder one. And “Spartak”, as if by conspiracy, came out in a light uniform. By the way, Sobolev returned to the red and white team. Maybe because it was snowing and not raining.

Guillermo Abascal’s team started timidly in unusual conditions and under pressure from Báltika, but the sudden pause benefited the Muscovites. The Spaniard insistently and for a long time instilled something in the boys about him, while the main weapon on the field was the paddles, and not the ball. As soon as the match resumed, Promes and Medina created the first scoring chance: the way Borisko took the ball was simply incredible! But at that moment the rojiblancos’ attacking fuse ran out.

“Spartak” is the leader in the “Moscow Championship”:

“Spartak” is ahead of everyone in the “Moscow Championship” table. The rojiblancos do not have a single defeat

“Baltika” continued to press, won single combats, its players in some episodes seemed to distance themselves from the Spartak players. Then Sergei Ignashevich’s team created chances, the set pieces made by the Kaliningraders were especially dangerous. Maksimenko saved Spartak three times with wonderful saves. Abascal’s men held on, defended and after half an hour they caught the locals making a mistake in a quick counterattack. Sobolev finally found the ball in a good position and cut off a goal pass to Khlusevich. Here Borisko played regular: he let him go under him.

Video rights belong to National Sports Channel LLC. You can watch the video on the Match Premier Telegram channel.

At the end of the first half, Baltika surpassed Spartak in passes in the opponent’s half almost two and a half times (103:41) and no fewer shots on goal (3:3). The red and white game was also characterized by the fact that only Khlusevich had more touches on the ball than Maksimenko. However, the teams went to half-time with the score 1:0 in favor of the Muscovites.

So Ignashevich decided to simplify the game as much as possible on a difficult field. He replaced another striker instead of a midfielder, and the Kaliningraders played with the Enriquez-Guzina-Musaev trio up front. Each of them can overcome their opponents and take advantage. But if something is added somewhere, something is subtracted. There is more physical strength in the outside area, but less control in the midline. The Spartak players already had the ball better on the “white carpet” than before the break. Baltika didn’t really threaten Maksimenko’s goal.

And at game time, Ignashevich made a change that he definitely had not planned. Borisko was injured out of nowhere. This is already the second injury for the Baltika goalkeeper in the Russian Championship; Previously, “number one” Latyshonok “broke” in a meeting with Zenit. As a result, a summer newcomer, former Spartak player Dzhanaev, made his Spartak debut for the Kaliningrad team. A job was quickly found for Soslan. Halfway through the half, Abascal’s team made a good run and could have been the last to score in this RPL season after a set piece.

Baltika took his first shot on goal in the second half, 10 minutes before the end, and scored! Guzina headed the ball after a cross from the right. The happy forward was emotionally immersed in a snowdrift, but he got up from the snow disappointed. The goal was disallowed for offside, which was beyond doubt. Shortly after, Abascal’s team, according to the rules, scored the second goal in the goal of the first Baltic. Ryabchuk provided the assist prior to the goal, Sobolev provided the assist and Promes deprived Dzhanaev of his “cookie” on the day of his debut.

Video rights belong to National Sports Channel LLC. You can watch the video on the Match Premier Telegram channel.

“Spartak” won “to zero”, surpassing “Baltika” in the final and in shots – 15:13 (at goal – 6:4, from the penalty area – 12:11).