Lost to Kuban

Lokomotiv’s tight schedule made Leonid Kuchuk constantly rotate the players. This time the manager had to make five alterations to his starting list.

First time this season keeper Ilya Abaev started the game. Vedran Corluka played a central defender instead of Nemanja Pejcinovic, while Yan Tigorev cemented the central back area together with Taras Mykhalyk. Elsewhere, Alan Kasaev filled the position usually occupied by Maicon, while Dame Ndoye was back as Loko’s fox-in-the-box.

Lokomotiv felt quite comfortable in the first minutes, possessing the ball and spending most of the time on the opponents’ half. But it was Kuban who created the first chance. Popov dribbled Jan Durica and took a shot at the goal but Abaev played brilliantly putting his leg in the ball’s way.
Soon the Railwaymen responded with a perspective attack when Alexander Samedov crossed to Alexey Miranchuk. The youngster blasted but Belenov was in the right place to grab it.

Moments later Samedov again set up for a teammate. Roman Shishkin received the ball from Alexander and passed on to Vitaliy Denisov at the far post. The defender had a go at the goal but the ball hit the net from the outside.

Due to the hot weather, the game was paused to allow the players to have some water. Soon after this, Kuban scored. Popov ran up the centre and saw Melgarejo in the box. The Bulgarian’s pass was accurate and well-timed, and the Paraguayan sent the ball past Abaev right into the net.

Soon Alexey Miranchuk came in the spotlight. The midfielder received a pass from Ndoye, dribbled three defenders and rifled but the attempt lacked in accuracy.

Soon Ndoye made another great pass when Kasaev got the ball from him and took a shot but Belenov managed to stop it.

Five minutes before the end of the half Kuban earned a corner and managed to double the lead. Kabore crossed to Sunic who jumped high and notched a header.

In the half-time, Leonid Kuchuk changed Taras Mykhalyk for Manuel Fernandes whose appearance allowed stepping up pressure on Kuban’s back four.

Due to this change the Red-Greens started possessing the ball on the opponents’ half but still couldn’t make use of it for some time.

Then Kuchuk decided to reshape the wings: Samedov was replaced with Maicon while the entire right flank was now Kasaev’s responsibility.

The Brazilian made Lokomotiv’s attacks explosive. In one episode, the speedy forward broke into the area and was knocked down by a defender. Manu Fernandes took the spot-kick and sent the ball accurately into the left corner!

In a move to save the game, Roman Pavlyuchenko replaced Alexey Miranchuk.

Sadly, the central episode of the last minutes was not Loko’s goal but a boorish action by Sekou. Leaving the pitch, the Liberian pushed Corluka which nearly caused a fight between players. The referee issued the Kuban player with a second yellow card.

Trying to capitalize on the power play, Lokomotiv besieged Kuban’s goal but Pavlyuchenko and Corluka’s strikes at the empty net were stopped by defenders.

Lokomotiv have suffered the first defeat this season, now standing lower than Kuban in the table.

Kuban - Lokomotiv 2:1 (2:0)

Goals: Melgarejo, 26 (1:0). Sunic, 40 (2:0). Fernandes – pen., 76 (2:1).

Kuban: Belenov, Xandao, Sunic, Melgarejo (Khubulov, 78), Yeschenko, Bugayev, Rabiu, Ignatyev (Kulik, 65), Sekou, Popov (Bucur, 90), Cabore.

Lokomotiv: Abaev, Corluka, Mykhalyk (Fernandes, 46), Durica, Denisov, Shishkin, Kasaev, Samedov (Maicon, 70), Tigorev,Alexey Miranchuk (Pavlyuchenko, 78), Ndoye.

Yellow cards: Rabiu, 54. Sekou, 63. Xandao, 76. Popov, 81. Khubulov, 90. Corluka, 90. Belenov, 90.

Red cards: Sekou, 90 (second yellow card).

August 24. Krasnodar. Kuban Stadium