First Defeat
Lokomotiv lost against Spartak during Gameweek 6 of the Russian Football Championship.
As one would expect, interest for the top tie of Gameweek 6 was enormous. Roughly four thousand seats allocated for the visiting side's fans sold out in four days. The away section at Otkrytie Arena was crammed - and painted red-green.
The derby coincided with a nice round figure: Yuriy Syomin’s 800th match in capacity of Loko’s head coach.
Though the first half was a bit slow, it still provided some thrills at both ends. Spartak had a chance to take the lead though a header from Bocchetti, but Guilherme managed to clear the threat just in time. Lokomotiv retaliated with a magnificent mazy run by Kolomeytsev, who rounded two defenders and teed up Henty. Ezekiel bent the ball towards the far corner with a side-footed effort but missed it.
Spartak’s second opportunity produced the goal. Popov released Promes down the wing and cut inside running into space himself to pick up the ball from the Dutch international moments later. Ivelin scored it with a clinical diving header. Before half-time the Spartak side built up two more dangerous counter-moves. In the first one Ze Luis tried to find the back of our net with a scissor volley from the verge of the smaller box. Next time Promes came close, but Corluka got in the way of the shot.
Syomin decided to make the changes right after the break. So Mykhalyk was brought on for Samedov. A few minutes into it Henty came off, Portnyagin on. However, our first chance in the second half was set up by Maicon and Kolomeytsev. Alexander had a go at goal following a cross inside from the flank but rolled it narrowly past the post.
In the last minutes of regulation time Spartak came on strong. Guilherme had to deny Promes once again. Then we witnessed an attempt by Ze Luis, saved by the bar. In the end Lokomotiv stormed the home goal in response, yet the score prevailed the same.
The Railwaymen suffer their first defeat of the season.
ROSGOSSTRAKH Russian Football Championship. Gameweek 6
Spartak – Lokomotiv – 1:0 (1:0)
Goals scored: Popov, 26 (1:0)
Spartak: Rebrov, Kombarov, Bocchetti, Kutepov, Mauricio (Tasci, 71), Glushakov, Romulo, Popov (Melgarejo, 65), Zobnin (Kutin, 89), Promes, Ze Luis
Lokomotiv: Guilherme, V.Denisov, Shishkin, Pejcinovic, I.Denisov, Samedov (Mykhalyk, 46), Kolomeytsev, Miranchuk, Maicon (Kasaev, 80), Henty (Portnyagin, 56)
Bookings: Maicon, 79
Referee: Aleksei Nikolayev (Moscow)
11 September 2016. Moscow, Otkrytie Arena.
