Ten Bookings, Three Ejections, Canceled Goal, and Wasted Penalty. Lokomotiv Beats Orenburg
Russian football is back in the world changed by the coronavirus. The authorities allowed to sell only 10% of the seats, the entry was disallowed unless a person wore a mask and gloves, even players got disinfected prior to taking to the pitch.
Lokomotiv’s head coach Marko Nikolic debuted in the Russian Premier League with a usual lineup - Eder up front, Miranchuk, Joao and Rifat below, Krychowiak and Barinov further down, Murilo and Corluka in the centre of defense, Ignatyev and Rybus playing as fullbacks, and Guilherme between the posts.
June 21 is the Medical Worker Day in Russia. The team’s doctor Nikita Karlitskiy was awarded a signature jersey from Vladislav Lysenko, Lokomotiv’s head agronomist. In the heat of the coronavirus Nikita volunteered in a Moscow hospital and helped Vladislav beat the disease. On 20 minutes the stadium gave a standing ovation to the doctors who fought the virus.
Lokomotiv played the first half almost ideally. Orenburg barely crossed the central circle and guarded their penalty area. The half-time whistle fixed the Railroaders’ advantage 65:45 in possession, and 8:2 in attempts.
In the opening 25 minutes Lokomotiv created enough opportunities for scoring four or five goals. Corluka and Eder both sent the ball over the crossbar, Rifat hit it first touch after a cross from the right but missed the target. Krychowiak kept shelling the goal but was failing to adjust the crosshair.
Orenburg had an opportunity to punish the hosts for recklessness. Shakhov was close to finishing the cross from Alves but missed the goal.
Quantity turned into quality on 38 minutes when Eder won another aerial duel in the area, Zhemaletdinov picked up the ball and passed it to Miranchuk who sent it precisely into the top ninety.
Despite the sensible advantage the Railroaders themselves brought back the thrill when Zhemaletdinov was handed a second yellow card and had to go to the dressing room.
On 48 minutes Orenburg made it clear they were in for a draw. Silla sent a powerful header towards the goal after his team played a corner. Guilherme saved the attempt. Meanwhile, the tackles turned rough and soon the players started to kick each other in the foot in nearly every episode, earning eight bookings and two ejections in 45 minutes.
On 59 minutes the Railroaders could have doubled the score - Miskic kicked Krychowiak in the area. The referee handed the midfielder a second yellow card, pointed at the spot and went to watch the replay. As a result, the penalty was canceled, while the ejection wasn’t.
The closing 15 minutes were crazy, with so many spectacular episodes that sometimes don’t happen in the entire gameweek. Joao Mario broke one-on-one, passed the keeper and hit the crossbar of the empty net.
A minute later Malykh was sent off for handplay. Nine minutes later Orenburg equalized but the goal was canceled due to an offside.
The referee went to see the replay again and awarded Lokomotiv a penalty for a foul at Miranchuk a minute before. Eder went to take a shot but sent the ball high.
Lokomotiv secured a very important victory and remained second in the table.
TINKOFF Russian Premier League. Gameweek 23
Lokomotiv - Orenburg - 1:0 (1:0)
Goals: Al. Miranchuk, 38 (1:0)
Missed penalty: Eder, 94
Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Ignatyev, Corluka, Murilo, Rybus, Barinov, Krychowiak, Zhemaletdinov, Al. Miranchuk, Joao Mario (Idowu, 95), Eder
Orenburg: Klimovich, Sivakov, Radakovic, Ayupov (Chukanov, 82), Miskic, Alves, Malykh, Silla, Zotov, Chernykh (Lipovoy, 63), Shakhov (Fameye, 46)
Bookings: Zhemaletdinov, 19. Miskic, 41. Murilo, 53. Malykh, 58. Silla, 64. Fameye, 70. Ayupov, 71. Barinov, 79. Zotov, 80. Radakovic, 93.
Ejections: Zhemaletdinov, 45. Miskic, 59. Malykh, 84.
Referee: Stanislav Vasilyev (Izhevsk)
June 21, 2020. Moscow, RZD Arena.
