A ruby tie

Loko’s head coach Jose Couceiro is betting on the young – a hallmark proved again in the home game against Rubin Kazan last weekend. This time, 19 year-old midfielder Vyacheslav Podberezkin made his first-ever appearance in the main team.

First twenty minutes brought a lot of fighting but hardly any opportunities. Later Lokomotiv decided it was time to speed up a little, got the ball back and started raiding Rubin’s backlines. First, Roman Pavlyuchenko carried the ball along a flank and crossed into the box but the pass was blocked by a defender. Then, Victor Obinna threatened Rubin’s goal twice but first the ball went straight into an opponent and later it Rubin managed to clear.

In the 33rd minute the Railwaymen managed to trick Rubin’s defence and SuperPav ran one-on-one with the keeper who knocked down the forward rolling under him just outside the box. The whistle remained silent.

Closer to the end of the half, the Railwaymen had another opportunity when Podberezkin entered the box from the left flank and centered but defender Sharonov cleared just a moment before Obinna could have struck.

After half-time the status-quo remained in place with Lokomotiv controlling both the ball and the territory. Early in the second half Denis Glushakov could have scored but his close-range shot was blocked by a defender.

In the mid-half Rubin created their first scoring opportunity. Ryazantsev wanted to try to upset Guilherme but his shot failed even to find the goal, going above the bar.

To put up the pressure on Rubin’s goal in the last fifteen minutes, Jose Couceiro released Vladislav Ignatiev and Dmitry Sychev. The latter had a chance two minutes before the final whistle but the ball went off the target.

In the end of the game, the guests from Kazan increased the pressure on Guilherme’s goal too, but the Brazilian’s skills dismantled all their attacks. As a result – a goalless draw in a game with plenty of opportunities.

Lokomotiv – Rubin 0:0

Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Eschenko, Shishkin, Burlak, Belyaev, Glushakov (Sychev, 82), Zapater, Obinna (Ignatiev, 74), Ozdoev, Podberezkin (Maicon, 46), Pavlyuchenko.

Rubin: Ryzhikov, Kuzmin, Ansaldi, Kverkvelia, Sharonov, ryazantsev, Eremenko, Natcho, Kasaev (Kislyak, 84), Dyadyun, Davydov.

Yellow card: Sharonov, 4. Zapater, 20. Podberezkin, 36. Kuzmin, 64. Ryazantsev, 78.

Referee: Mikhail Vilkov (Nizhny Novgorod)

22 April. Lokomotiv Stadium. 12 556 spectators.