We Won The Cup!

Lokomotiv have beaten Ural in the final game of the Russian Cup and claimed their ninth trophy!

The day of the Final has become historic for Lokomotiv. Sochi saw a company of about 7,000 Moscow team fans which has become the biggest crowd ever to travel with the Railroaders. The supporters started chanting as early as the practice started, and it looked impressive.

До мурашек #ИдемЗаКубком #УралЛоко pic.twitter.com/yQCmqPe2R3

— ФК Локомотив (@fclm_official) 2 мая 2017 г.

Yuriy Syomin had a chance to win a fifth Cup in his career and become the most victorious coach in the history of the tournament. However, Mr Syomin dismissed these aspirations at the press conference, saying he prefers the team's statistics to his personal ones.

In the first half the teams played a very careful game full of tackles. Lokomotiv had advantage, set up long attacks but Ural had taken good care of their back line that was solid as a rock. The only way to get past it was to play long balls. And the only opportunity came through a cross to the box where Ari won the aerial duel but keeper Zabolotniy positioned himself well and claimed the ball.

In the second half Lokomotiv increased pace. Tired of playing long balls the Railwaymen started going for glory from a distance. Miranchuk and Fernandes were especially active, with the Portuguese playing masterul free kicks.

And it was a long-range shot that finally bore fruit. On 77 minutes Lokomotiv played another long attack, the ball bounced back to Igor Denisov who sent it home first touch - 1:0! In 2016 Igor scored the most spectacular goal of the year, and now - the most important in 2017.

On 90 minutes Fernandes dribbled past an opponent on the flank, passed to Miranchuk in the box, Alexey broke away from his marker with a masterful feint and hammered it into the upper 90.

In the stoppage time, there came a mass brawl that ended up in four red cards for Ari, Farfan, Manucharyan, and Fidler. But thihs doesn't matter. What matters is that Lokomotiv have won the Russian Cup and are going to play in Europa League next season.

Russian Cup. Final

Ural - Lokomotiv - 0:2 (0:0)
Goals: I. Denisov, 77 (0:1). Miranchuk, 90 (0:2)

Ural: Zabolotnuy, Novikov, Tabidze, Balazic, Dantsev, Yemelyanov (Manucharyan, 80), Bicfalvi, Dimitrov (Glushkov, 89), Lungu, Ilyin, Pavlyuchenko (Fidler, 46)
Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Ignatyev, Kverkvelia, Pejcinovic , V. Denisov, Tarasov (Barinov, 92), I. Denisov, Fernandes, Maicon (Farfan, 85), Al. Miranchuk, Ari
Yellow cards: Lungu, 49. Ilyin, 69
Red cards: Ari, 90 Farfan, 90. Manucharyan, 90. Fidler, 90.
Referee: Aleksey Nilolaev (St Petersburg)
May 2, 2017. Sochi. Fisht Stadium.