Third Straight Win

Lokomotiv beat Rubin FC during Gameweek 22 of the Russian Premier League and notched their third consecutive win.

Gameweek 22 saw a series of top-of-the-table clashes. On Saturday Rostov gained a victory over Spartak and is currently ranking first. The last fixture on Sunday brought Zenit and Spartak face to face. Lokomotiv were scheduled to take on the tough and unyielding Rubin – the side that had made the Railwaymen taste their first defeat of the season.

“I hope the team still remember that taste and will be eager to pay the bill”- said Sarkis Oganesyan before the match. The team did remember and got off to a rocking start, claiming the bulk of possession and pinning the opponent deep in their end. Despite the substantial territorial advantage, the game was a bit short on chances, at both ends. And while Ryzhikov was called into action to steer the ball away from the top corner following a deflected shot by Skuletic, Guilherme remained largely untroubled.

The second half looked pretty much the same. Lokomotiv enjoyed territorial superiority, but Rubin organized a well-disciplined defence launching occasional attacks. One of such moves could have been finished effectively after a cross in from the right flank, if only Tkachuk had not missed the target.

A little earlier the Railwaymen lost Corluka who was injured in a tussle with Kambolov. Ndinga came on to replace the captain, Mykhalyk pushed back into defence. And then Lokomotiv scored. Six minutes to full-time, the home side put together a superb counter-attack. Miranchuk brilliantly picked up possession near the centre spot, played the ball wide to Samedov to chase down the flank, the latter rolling it across the box into the path of Skuletic. Petar was up to the mark.

On the run of three consecutive wins, Lokomotiv secure a place in the top three.

ROSGOSSTRAKH Russian championship. Gameweek 22

Lokomotiv – Rubin - 1:0 (0:0)
Goals scored: Skuletic, 84

Lokomoriv: Guilherme, Pejcinovic, Corluka (Ndinga, 66), Durica, Denisov, Mykhalyk, Tarasov (Miranchuk, 57), Kolomeytsev, Samedov, Kasaev (Ignatiev, 76), Skuletic
Rubin: Ryzhikov, Ustinov (Karadeniz, 78), Kvirkvelia, Bergstrom, Nabiullin (Pilyavsky, 80), Ozdoyev, Kambolov (Portnyagin, 85), Caktas, Kanunnikov, Tkachuk, Devic
Bookings: Kambolov, 38. Mykhalyk, 42. Ustinov, 52. Ryzhikov, 79.
Referee: Vitaly Meshkov (Dmitrov)
3 April. Moscow, Lokomotiv Stadium