Clash Of The Titans

Weakened by suspensions and injuries of several first-team players Lokomotiv’s Leonid Kuchuk was forced to look for new combinations to oppose the League leader from St Petersburg who rolled up to Bolshaya Cherkizovskaya. As a result, the sidelined Vedran Corluka gave way to Taras Mikhalik, elsewhere Renat Yanbayev replaced Vitaliy Denisov still recovering from the last-week injury in Krasnodar. Aleksandr Sheshukov was paired with Magomed Ozdoyev in front of the back four, Mbark Boussoufa played in the hole behind the lone striker Dame N’Doye. Winger Sergey Tkachyov became responsible for the left side of the team’s attack.

First, the opponents carefully scouted out the enemy lines, but then instantly turned to attacking football. Zenit made the first attempt when Hulk carried the ball up the centre where he was timely knocked down by Mikhalik. However the visitors kept the ball and delivered it back to the Brazilian who headed it goalwards but wide.

A minute later Aleksandr Samedov played one-two with Shishkin and crossed to N’Doye who nodded the ball into the corner where Lodygin managed to stop it.

In the middle of the half Zenit nearly set up for Lokomotiv when Netu knocked down N’Doye within the shooting range from the goal. Samedov twisted the ball into the upper corner but Lodygin tipped it away in a spectacular jump.

Even more attacks followed soon. Hulk shook off Durica in the box and was going to fire but Abayev made a well-timed run forward to cover the ball. On the other side of the pitch, N’Doye could have scored but Lodygin was first to the ball, too.

Ten minutes before the break, Zenit took the lead. Durica made a bad mistake in a simple situation where he needed just to clear the danger. Instead, he made a blind pass to Rondon who used his chance and sent the ball sharply to the far low corner.

As the second half began, Sheshukov and Hulk clashed in the midfield several times, and the Russian was stronger.

But soon the Brazilian made the Red-Green supporters flutter with his mid-range attempt. Good for them, Abayev stopped the ball.

Soon N’Doye had an opportunity to equalize. The Senegalese tackled Lodygin correctly and kept the ball but the defenders didn’t allow him to take a shot.

In an episode that followed, a very rare thing occurred: the referee collided with a player and was substituted.

Immediately after that, Danni could have doubled the lead. The Portuguese passed Durica in the corner of the area and rolled the ball to Shatov who was in a deadly position and would have scored but Shishkin tripped him and cleared the danger at the very last moment.

Finally, 15 minutes to the end Lokomotiv managed to equalize. Lodygin made a bad mistake trying to intercept Boussoufa’s cross to Tkachyov who netted it in.

This made Zenit nervous. The players started making mistakes on their side of the pitch, Andre Villas-Boas thought it was time to start securing the score and changed Danni for Timoschuk.

The Ukrainian failed to impress, while the freshman Lass Diarra shone in midfield winning every tackle.

In the stoppage time that lasted for seven minutes Lokomotiv locked the opponents on their half. Another sub Denisov managed several good raids forcing the tired Anyukov make mistakes. The Railwaymen could have won the game but Zenit secured a draw.

The Railroaders are now back on the second standing in the table. The Champions title is still at stake.

Lokomotiv - Zenit 1:1 (0:1)

Goals: Rondon, 36 (0:1). Tkachyov, 76 (1:1).

Lokomotiv: Abayev, Shishkin, Mikhalik, Durica, Yanbayev, Sheshukov, Ozdoyev (Diarra, 63), Samedov, Boussoufa, Tkachyov (Denisov, 81), N’Doye (Pavlyuchenko, 70).

Zenit: Lodygin, Crisito, Lombaerts, Netu, Anyukov, Danni (Timoschuk, 82), Shatov, Faizulin, Vitsel, Hulk, Rondon.

Yellow cards: Netu, 19. Boussoufa, 45.

Referee: Aleksandr Yegorov (Saransk), Igor Nizovtsev (Nizhniy Novgorod).

May 4. Moscow, Lokomotiv Stadium. 26 500 spectators.