Youth Team Thrash Ufa

The pretty poor stadium infrastructure in Russia has forced the youth team to play another game away from their older teammates. Lokomotiv’s main squad flew to Perm, while the youth traveled to Ufa.

The weather had its say with hail, wind and rain accompanying the game. In the first half, the wind helped push the ball towards the Ufa goal, which was to the visitors’ advantage.

Lokomotiv started actively. In the second minute, Dmitriy Barinov fell to the ground and grasped his collarbone. Luckily, he was okay.

Zhemaletdinov, Miranchuk and Galadzhan were pressing the opponents on their side but the team couldn’t capitalize on it. Ufa tried to make use of long crosses to our box but their attackers kept failing to receive the ball.

Both teams had good chances late into the first half. First, an Ufa striker broke one-on-one with Lantratov but a linesman had flagged him being offside seconds earlier. Soon Lokomotiv's Nikitin carried the ball down the wing and crossed past the keeper. The service found Galadzhan who launched the ball towards the net but a defender got in the way.

On 41 minutes the referee awarded Ufa a dubious penalty for Samokhvalov's foul at the edge of the box. Ilya Lantratov made another spectacular dive and saved the ball from a goal corner.

Soon the hosts had to recall a football wisdom that says, if you don't score your opponents do. In the last minutes of the first half, Rifat Zhemaletdinov scored a brace! In one episode, Galadzhan served a good one from the left flank for Rifat's clinical finish. In the other episode, the striker worked a high pass and volleyed it past Leonov.

Early in the second half, Lokomotiv missed Ufa's rapid counter-attack down the right flank which ended in Krechetov's effective attempt. It took the Railwaymen just ten minutes to restore the goal difference. Miranchuk made a very comfortable pass to Anisimov who sent the ball into the back corner of the net.

The wind was a considerable obstacle: when Lantratov used to clear the ball it kept going back. Although these difficulties made the team play more carefully.

Despite the main squad were going to play in another city, about 30 fans came to Perm to support Lokomotiv. They were very active, and kept chanting throughout the game. No doubt, this helped our guys.

In the middle of the half, Andrea Chukanov made no mistake from the spot. Later, a Zhemaletdinov - Anisimov - Chukanov trio scored the winner. Rifat carried the ball to the box, Anisimov made a good pass to Chukanov that left the keeper idling while Andrea was taking an effective shot at the empty net.

Another win by the youth team!

U-21 Russian Football Championship. Gameweek 24.

Ufa (youth) - Lokomotiv (youth) - 1:5 (0:2)
Goals: Zhemaletdinov, 42 (0:1). Zhemaletdinov, 43 (0:2). Krechetov, 46 (1:2). Anisimov, 55 (1:3). Chukanov, 74 (pen.) (1:4). Chukanov, 83 (1:5).
Lokomotiv (youth): Lantratov (Kovalyov, 88), Nikitin (Solovyov, 82), Samokhvalov, Gusar (Fereferov, 85), Makarov (Shadrin, 89), Barinov,Anton Miranchuk (Makhatadze, 62), Chikanov, Kipiani (Galanin, 71), Galadzhan (Anisimov, 47), Zhemaletdinov.
Ufa (youth): Leonov, Kupryakov, Braun, Salikhov, Pavlov, Krechetov, Benifand, Blinnikov, Tamrazov (Zaripov, 75), Kilin, Yakupov.
Yellow cards: Samokhvalov, 39. Benifand, 52.
April 17th. Ufa. Dynamo Stadium.

You can watch the highlights of the game on our official website, and also on Lokomotiv’s YouTube channel.