We’re back in Cherkizovo with victory!

The Railwaymen rushed headlong into the game and locked Kuban on their side. Loko needed just six minutes to score the opener. Roman Pavlyuchenko in his first official game for Lokomotiv made a perfect pass to Felipe Caicedo who ran one on one with the keeper. The Equadorian failed to net the ball but Maicon ran up from behind and kicked the ball deflected by Belenov between the posts.

Very soon SuperPav was in the spotlight again – this time he was going to score himself but Belenov made a great save getting the ball from the very corner.

Kuban never managed to seriously bother Guilherme during the first forty minutes of the game and the penalty granted by the referee to Kuban after Urena’s fall in the box was not in a logical flow of things. However, Guilherme’s goalie skills helped Loko secure the score – the Brazilian keeper made a great save stopping Lacina Traore’s kick.

The Cherkizovo Stadium was still celebrating Guilherme’s save when Caicedo carried the ball for 25 metres towards Belenov’s goal and scored, rounding the keeper in a perfect breakaway.

In the second half, the Railwaymen totally controlled the game refusing the team from Krasnodar a single opportunity anywhere near Guilherme’s premises. Loko simply dominated the field.

In the end of the hour Jose Couceiro made a traditional double substitution. Alberto Zapater and Dmitry Sychev appeared on the pitch. And in the 78th minute the Portuguese coach substituted Magomed Ozdoev with Senijad Ibricic. Kuban’s coach Dan Petresku withdrew his top gun Traore who had been successfully disarmed by Loko’s defenders.

Despite the result that didn’t suit Kuban , they failed to create a single scoring opportunity in the end of the game. Moreover, Caicedo could have drubbed the southerners but his great shot was deflected by Belenov in a picturesque jump.

As a result, Lokomotiv beat Kuban and started off well in the final part of the championship.

Lokomotiv – Kuban 2:0 (2:0)

Goals scrored: Maicon, 6 (1:0). Caicedo, 44 (2:0).

Penalties missed: Traore, 42 (goalkeeper).

Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Burlak, Shishkin, Belyaev, Yanbaev, Tarasov, Torbinsky (Zapater, 63), Ozdoev (Ibricic, 77), Maicon, Pavlyuchenko (Sychev, 63), Caicedo.

Kuban: Belenov, Armash, Zhavnerchik, Kozlov, Zelao, Kulik, Ionov, Fiedler, Bugaev (Bucur, 66), Traore (Tsoraev, 77), Urena.

Yellow cards: Torbinsky, 41. Urena, 44. Bucur, 68.

Referee: Vladislav Bezborodov (St. Petersburg).

3rd March. Lokomotiv Stadium. 9014 spectators.

Photo report can be found here.