Mauling The Swedes

The day's second game actually started with a goal. Lokomotiv earned a free kick just outside the area, Aleksandr Samedov bent the ball which bumped home off a defender.

One goal ahead, the Railwaymen decided to act simpler and let Djurgårdens have the ball. Although it was hard for the opponents to capitalize on possession as Lokomotiv's squad comprized of almost all the club's big names. Djurgårdens's centre-forward Prijovic managed to approach Ilya Abayev's goal several times but the keeper and the back-four stopped him there.

Close to the end of the half, Lokomotiv boosted the speed again and the Swedes couldn't catch up. In one episode Roman Pavlyuchenko broke away and should have scored but defender Amartey stopped him with a professional foul and was sent off. Although this didn't result in a power-play: the terms were that players would not be sent off, so Amartey was simply replaced by Östberg.

Pavlyuchenko had another fat chance in the very next attack but goalkeeper Höie worked hard to stop the ball.

In the half time Leonid Kuchuk substituted central back Taras Mikhalik with Lass Diarra.

The beginning of the second half turned somewhat nervous when Durica miscalculated the ball's trajectory and let Prijovic work it but Abayev insured the partner by good positioning: the goalie rushed forward to narrow space for the attacker and forced him into a mistake.

Just minutes on, Djurgårdens were thrashed and Sergey Tkachyov played a key role in this. First the midfielder picked up the ball in the box, worked it and hammered it in.

Four minutes later Roman Shishkin carried the ball down the flank and passed to Tkachyov. But instead of an obvious strike Sergey let it roll on to Pavlyuchenko who hit it first time right into the corner making the score big.

Three minutes on, the Railwaymen made the score even bigger. Shishkin had the ball again and passed it to Durica who outjumped his opponents in the box and headed it home.

That was quite enough to prove Loko's strength and they played to secure the score.

Our next friendly is scheduled for February 23 against Strømsgodset from Norway.

Lokomotiv - Djurgårdens 4:0 (1:0)

Goals: Samedov, 4 (1:0). Tkachyov, 58 (2:0). Pavlyuchenko, 62 (3:0). Durica, 65 (4:0).

Lokomotiv: Abayev (Guilherme, 69), Shishkin, Corluka, Durica, Denisov, Mikhalik (Diarra, 46), Ozdoyev (Ondua Gael, 81), Samedov, Boussoufa, Tkachyov, Pavlyuchenko.

Djurgårdens: Höie, Karlsson, Bergström, Amartey (Östberg, 42), Andriuskevicius, Chibsah, Broberg (Tibbling, 69), Johansson, Fejzullahu (Sivojedov, 46), Jawo, Prijovic.

Yellow card: Boussoufa, 12.

Red card: Amarti, 41 (professional foul).

February 19. Marbella. Football Center.