“Spartak” is the best team in the Russian Cup! But Abascal has a forward left
Anatoly Romanov September 19, 2023, 19:40 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Promes played a masterpiece match in Nizhny Novgorod and spent only a few minutes on the field.
Spartak achieved its fourth victory in four rounds of the Russian Cup and advanced early to the playoffs from first place in the group. The match in Nizhny Novgorod attracted 32 thousand fans!
Guillermo Abascal changed the 11 starting players compared to the match against Sochi in the RPL. The red and white really solved the problem of reaching the playoffs of the Russian Cup, achieving three victories in three rounds of the group stage, so the result did not put pressure on the Spanish coach and his team. He wanted Spartak and Paris NN to give the same brilliant match as in Moscow, where the red and white won 5-4 in hockey, but it quickly became clear that this meeting would hardly be productive. The game was cautious, with a lot of fighting and back-and-forth passes. The guests had the ball and the territorial advantage, while the hosts relied on the counterattacks and speed of their forward pair Sevikyan – Ze Turbo (last weekend’s hero, former Spartak Kutateladze, remained on the bench).
Apart from two failed shot attempts, when the blocked ball did not even reach the goal, we had to wait until the 27th minute for the first shot. But Spartak scored with this shot. Abaskal’s team, which played in Nizhny Novgorod according to the 4-2-3-1 system, organized a quick attack, deployed it from right to left, and Stotsky became the unwitting author of the assist to Klassen. The left back picked up the ball that bounced off the opponent and sent it under the crossbar. Goalkeeper Botnar obviously could have played better, but it didn’t help.
Before the break, Paris NN were memorable in attack, except for potentially dangerous set pieces and two episodes in which Sergei Yuran’s team asked for a penalty. In the first case, Alexandrov received a hand from Chernov in the face and lay on the grass for a long time. I was surprised that the referee didn’t call a penalty. On the other hand, three years ago in the Russian Cup there was an episode in which Spartak’s Sobolev was slapped in the face by Zenit’s Barrios in the semifinals, and then the referees did not award a penalty either. This means that there is some kind of sequence. Then Ze Turbo fell in the red and white area: Umyarov hit him in the back of the head. But it seems that a second earlier Troshechkin had committed a foul in attack, so the opportunity did not reach 11 meters.
Analysis of the work of referees in the last round of the Russian Championship:
“Impunity in the Spartak match became an explosion.” Analysis of the refereeing on the eighth day of the RPL
Paris NN had their first shot on goal just at the beginning of the second half. And he scored too! The leader of the Nizhny Novgorod team, Sevikyan, who was not dangerous enough before, took part in the attack, which ended with Karapuzov hitting the post and finishing off Troshechkin. Referee Bulanov counted the goal, but after a suggestion from the VAR assistants he annulled it. Here the referee definitely made the right decision, as the replay showed that Sevikyan fouled Umyarov. Nail completed the episode excellently, he reached the ball before Edgar, and the future newcomer to the Armenian national team involuntarily hit the Spartak player on the leg.
And after an hour of play in Nizhny Novgorod, only one full-time center forward remained in Spartak’s lineup – Sobolev. He injured his leg and was replaced by Meleshin. Did Abascal regret breaking up with Nicholson or Balde at that time? This was not the first injury in the match: earlier, Paris NN defender Tikhiy collapsed. Ignatov began to act at the head of the Spartacists. Midway through the second half, Mikhail had an excellent chance after a shot from Ededem, who made a terrible pass down the field in his own half, but the home team saved themselves from the goal with a cross.
When Ignatov went to half-time, Spartak finished the match with Zinkovsky ahead. Antón, due to his speed and dribbling, was able to take advantage of the free space. But he did not take advantage of it and in the 86th minute Promes replaced him as forward.
Quincy came into the game brilliantly! In the end, he created a chance for Klassen to score a double, and then provided a great assist for the third, and Martins’ goal removed all doubt about the winner.
Furthermore, in added time, Promes himself scored a nice goal. The way the Dutchman handled the ball and flew towards the Paris NN goal was simply a spectacle. Quincy single-handedly tore apart the opponent’s tired defense.
Yuran’s team lost undeservedly and was left out of the group.
