Lokomotiv Drew With Mordovia
The travelers started the game with an early opener. Lokomotiv's Renat Yanbaev fouled on Sysuev on the flank. The midfielder's cross came to the all-alone Vasin, and the defender headed it in from a metre's distance.
Lokomotiv tried to respond when Maicon passed to Manu Fernandes who whipped goalwards from an acute angle but the keeper Kochenkov saved.
In the first half, both teams played equally, and none really managed to create chances. However, Lokomotiv could have scored twice not long before the whistle. Vedran Corluka had a go after receiving a pass from Samedov, but Kochenkov footed it away. Roman Pavlyuchenko picked up the ball and blasted but only hit Vasin. In just a minute, Lokomotiv's massive attack on Mordovia's goal could have born fruit. Corluka worked the ball on the far post and took a shot which wasn't effective. The ball came to Maicon who went for glory but with no success. Next, Alexander Sheshukov picked up the ball and rifled a left-footer which, however, went to row Z.
The second half took up the trend: Mordovia stayed on their half guarding the score while Lokomotiv lacked just one last touch to level.
Two substitutions brought in freshness and thought to the hosts' attacking potential. First, it was Alexey Miranchuk who replaced Manuel Fernandes. The youngster broke through up the centre, received the ball and had a go from within the box. The shot was blocked but nevertheless it was an alarm for the visitors.
Just a minute later, Oumar Niasse made his name flash on the screen. The Senegalese received the ball in the centre and blasted at the upper corner of the goal leaving the keeper no chances.
On 80 minutes Oumar was close to scoring a second goal for Loko: he carried the ball into the area and took a shot but Kochenkov managed to foot it away.
Roman Shishkin went for glory from a distance and was close. The defender's left-footer made the keeper try hard to save.
The heavily relied on time-wasting tactics to secure the score while Lokomotiv were creating chances. Niasse and another sub Sergey Tkachyov made several attempts but, alas, unsuccessfully.
The game ended in a tie that left both teams standing where before.
Lokomotiv - Mordovia 1:1 (0:1)
Goals: Vasin, 14 (0:1). Niasse, 69 (1:1).
Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Yanbaev, Corluka, Durica, Denisov, Shishkin, Sheshukov, Samedov (Tkachyov, 58), Fernandes (Miranchuk, 65), Maicon, Pavlyuchenko (Niasse, 59).
Mordovia: Kochenkov, Nakhushev, Vasin, Perendija, Lomic, Niasse (Bobyor, 23), Donald, Vlasov, Le Tallec, Sysuev (Bozovic, 59), Lutsenko (Ruslan Mukhametshin 87).
Yellow cards: Niasse, 16. Bozovic, 62. Tkachyov, 71.
Referee: Igor Nizovtsev (Nizhniy Novgorod).
September 13. Moscow, Lokomotiv stadium. 7 260 spectators.
