A dramatic 4:3 win over Spartak Nalchik took Zenit to the top.
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Zenit turned Premier Liga sole leaders after they battled
to a narrow home-victory over Spartak from Nalchik. Spartak Moscow are
one point behind while Dinamo and Krylya Sovetov are two points away from
the top. CSKA and FC Moskva have to erase a three-point deficit to join
Zenit on top. FC Moskva still have a game at hand.
Matchday 14 started with a breath-taking slugfest in Moscow where Spartak
hosted Saturn Moscow region on Friday. The closing minutes of the first
half proved nerve-tickling for Spartak as the team were denied a goal
from Roman Pavlyuchenko. The referee ruled the visiting side breahced
the rules before the shot and awarded the hosts with a penalty. Yet Pavlyuchenko
failed to convert it and the teams went to the lockers with an illogical
0:0 on the scoreboard. Martin Stranzl was the one who gave Spartak the
lead midway through the second half. Though Saturn had chances to equalize
they turned out unable to figure put Spartak keeper Stipe Pletikosa. Roman
Pavlyuchenko secured the first victory for Spartak with Stanislav Cherchesov
at the helm as he scored in the clsoing minutes of the injury time.
The crushing defeats Luch Energia inflicted upon big powers CSKA and Lokomotiv
the previous matchdays made Vladivostok supporters hope the team will
take three easy points in Khimki clash. Shirokov opened the scoring for
Luch Energia in the 57th minute but Tikhonovetsky managed to snatch one
point for Khmki as he scored the equalizer with 25 minutes to go.
Dinamo handed a crushing defeat to Premier Liga outsiders Rostov 3:0.
Kolodin converted a penalty in the first half to give the lead to Dinamo
and the Portuguese striker Danny made it a confident 3:0.
Rubin mourn over Lenar Gilmullin who died after a motorcycle accident.
The team decided to give the bonus for the 1:0 victory over Kuban in Krasnodar
to the family of the defender.
Tom gained three points in their catching home clash against Lokomotiv.
The teams traded goals in the first half as the score was tied after 45
minutes 1:1. Shirko gave the lead to the hosts early in the second half
but Traore made the score level again 2:2. Nine minutes after the equalizer
went in Shirko restored the status-quo for his team as he made it 3:2.
Michkov sealed the victory for Tom as he converted a penalty with ten
minutes before the end of the regulate time.
Krylya Sovetov-CSKA clash was expected to be one of the most interesting
clashes of the matchday as the teams are fighting for a better position
closer to the top of the table. Yet the supporters saw the ball only once
in the goal. Nonetheless, it was a plesant spectacle for them as it was
CSKA keeper Veniamin Mandrykin who saw the ball behind his back. David
Mujiri was the one to score the winner for the hosting side.
FC Moskva who were the unrivalled leaders of the campaign as far as lost
points were concerned failed to tough it out in Perm as they let the hosting
Amkar tie the score 1:1 in the closing minutes of the clash. FC Moskva
are now three points behind the leader and have a game at hand.
A dramatic 4:3 win over the campaign outsiders Spartak Nalchik made Zenit
the sole leaders of the campaign. However, it was a hard-fought affair.
Zenit conceded an early goal but managed to convert things into their
favor before the end of the first half as it was 2:1 for the hosting Zenit
before the teams headed to the lockers. Pilipchuk erased the deficit for
Spartak with nine minutes to go before the injury time 2:2. The hosts
desperately wished to get on the highest position in the table and scored
twice in three minutes to make it a comfortable 4:2 with several minutes
to go. Yet it was not the end of it as Uzdenov made it a hopeful 3:4 for
Spartak. Yet the time was ruthless to the visiting side as there was not
enough of it to equalize again.
Pavel Pogrebnyak of Zenit who helped Zenit gain the crucial three points
now leads the scoring race as he is the only one in Premier Liga to have
scored six times. Five other strikers follow the runaway with five goals
each. So the fight is obviously still ahead.
