Tied At Home

Leonid Kuchuk preferred to stick to the winning squad and made just one improvement installing Lass Diarra in the defensive midfield.

Lokomotiv immediately employed high pressing tactics but only ten minutes into the first half did they manage the first shot. Alexander Samedov crossed to the box where Dame N'Doye headed it goalwards but missed.

Unexpectedly something broke down up front and this episode became the only from the Railwaymen in quite a long time. But the defence still worked well. Durica was reliable in many episodes, and Diarra demonstrated his high class twice in just a minute. First, he shook off two opponents and won the ball, and next his interception dismantled what could have been a potentially dangerous attack by Tom.

In the second part of the first half the Siberians earned a corner, played it well and hammered the ball in but the linesman signaled an offside and the referee cancelled the goal. The omen alarmed the Railwaymen and they ran forward for a cracker. Roman Shishkin took a shot from a distance but Chebanu grabbed the ball. Later, Maicon crossed from the flank but N'Doye headed into the keeper.

A couple of minutes before the half-time Samedov tested Chebanu again. N'Doye passed to the right, Samedov controlled the ball and stroke with his left foot making Chebanu demonstrate the skill again.

After the break Diarra started an attack the could bring fruit. Lass rammed through the centre but failed to pass properly further to Maicon.

After the 60th minute Leonid Kuchuk decided it was time to bring in some new blood into his team's attack. Maicon was exchanged for Tkachyov, and later Pavlyuchenko and Caicedo climbed off the bench to fill in the positions of Samedov and N'Doye.

One of the main episodes of the second half happened 10 minutes before the whistle. Bordachyov knocked down Boussoufa near the box and saw a yellow card for the second time during the match which converted into the red. The Moroccan decided to strike himself but was inaccurate.

Having this advantage, the Railwaymen put up pressure on Tom's goal but only earned a red card themselves. During the injury time Diarra hit his opponent with an elbow, saw another yellow card and was sent off.

Nevertheless with one more point to their name, the Railwaymen now rank second in the league.

Lokomotiv - Tom 0:0 (0:0)

Lokomotiv: Abayev, Shishkin, Corluka, Durica, Denisov, Tarasov, Diarra, Boussoufa, Samedov (Caicedo, 75), Maicon (Tkachyov, 62), N'Doye (Pavlyuchenko, 75).

Tom: Chebanu, Kisenkov, Milanov, Bordachyov, Rykov, Jiranek, Bashkirov (Komkov, 90), Ignatovich (Aravin, 84), Panchenko, Portnyagin, Holenda (Golyshev, 30).

Yellow cards: Rykov, 24. Bordachyov, 44. Kisenkov, 58. Panchenko, 58. Tarasov, 58. Diarra, 65. N'Doye, 72. Chebanu, 83.

Red cards: Bordachyov, 82 (second yellow card). Diarra, 90 (second yellow card).

Referee: Sergey Kuznetsov (Krasnozavodsk).

September 30. Moscow. Lokomotiv Stadium. 8 460 spectators.