Two penalties and Miranchuk’s goal on 91st minute! Lokomotiv beats CSKA
Lokomotiv approached the most decisive game of the season with an optimal line up. Guilherme was back in goal, Rybus and Ignatjev took their place on the wings, Magkeev, Barinov and Krychowiak started in midfield, Joao Mario and Aleksey Miranchuk helped Eder in the attack. Before the game against Lokomotiv, CSKA also had no particular problems with the line up, except for the Arnor Sigurdsson, who was suspended.
Lokomotiv and CSKA supported the “Please Breathe” campaign and went on the pitch in special shirts with pictures of doctors and volunteers, who work in hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic.
In games of such importance, teams usually act with caution, but this time it was different. By the seventh minute the score could have been 1:1. Murilo header went near the post after a great cross from the corner.
And a few moments later, the same Brazilian saved Lokomotiv from conceding a goal. Guilherme tried to intercept the ball almost at the center of the pitch, Chalov dribbled past the goalkeeper and could have scored into the empty goal, but Murilo managed to clear with a brilliant tackle. Later, Akinfeev made a mistake that almost cost the goal. Igor tried to kick the ball out, but the ball hit Eder, who almost opened the score line.
In the middle of the first half, both teams had their chances. Diveev almost broke the crossbar with a very powerful free kick, and later Miranchuk intercepted the pass near the edge of the box and tried to curl the ball into the far corner. The ball went inches off the target.
Lokomotiv scored in the 32nd minute. Eder beat Diveev in the penalty area, and CSKA defender fouled him. The referee used the VAR to check the decision and the replay confirmed that Diveev hit Eder’s leg. The referee gave the penalty, which Aleksey Miranchuk confidently converted.
Our team finished the first half with ten men. Eder got injured, and Zhemaletdinov did not manage to come on before half time, as there were no stops in the game.
CSKA made it difficult for Lokomotiv at the beginning of the second half with their attacks and crosses from the wings. Nevertheless Lokomotiv defended well and didn’t give away many chances in front of the goal.
However, CSKA's pressure did result into a goal. On the 71st minute, Schennikov made a low cross into the box, the ball bounced to Vlasic, who shot from several meters without giving Guilherme much chance.
The game got decided at the end. After a cross from the free kick, the ball hit Nababkin's hand. The referee did not notice the episode, but a few minutes later he checked the replay and pointed to the spot for the second time. Miranchuk again put Akinfeev in one corner and the ball into the other.
Lokomotiv got the most important win of the season. Our team is currently second in the league, with one game to go and is ahead of Krasnodar by five points, who have a game in hand later this week.
TINKOFF Russian Premier League. Gameweek 29
Lokomotiv - CSKA - 2:1 (1:0)
Goals: Al. Miranchuk, 32 (pen.) (1:0). Vlasic, 71 (1:1). Al. Miranchuk, 91 (pen.) (2:1)
Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Rybus, Ignatjev, Murilo, Corluka, Magkeev, (An Miranchuk, 87), Barinov, Krychowiak, Joao Mario (Farfan, 68), Al. Miranchuk (Kvirkvelia, 91), Eder (Zhemaletdinov, 46)
CSKA: Akinfeev, Fernandes, Vlasic, Chalov (Bijol, 92), Dzagoev (Shkurin, 56), Nababkin, Magnusson, Schennikov, Diveev, Maradishvili (Bistrovic, 92), Oblyakov
Bookings: Magkeev, 21. Akinfeev, 34. Corluka, 38. Farfan, 74. Ignatjev, 88. Nababkin, 90. Magnusson, 95
Referee: Evgeniy Turbin (Dmitrov)
July 16, 2020. Moscow, RZD Arena
