The RFU made a beautiful story. Together with Oleg Tsymbalar, son of the legendary Spartak footballer, they held a match in memory of Ilya Tsymbalar. A great event that brought together former red and white stars and great legionnaires of Russian football on the field.
In 1998, Tsymbalar helped Spartak defeat one of the best clubs on the planet:
Spartak shocked Europe 25 years ago. But only one of Ajax’s winners went to a major club.
The team of Spartak legends and the world team took to the field. The red and whites were coached by Oleg Romantsev and Stanislav Cherchesov, the rival by Massimo Carrera and Yuri Semin. From the first minutes a bunch of stars appeared: Egor Titov, Andrey Tikhonov, Dmitry Alenichev, Alexander Filimonov, Andrey Eshchenko, Alexander Mostovoy, Anatoly Timoshchuk, Emmanuel Emenike. I could go on for a long time!
The fans did not let go of the coaches or the players even before the game. Everyone wanted a photo and autograph from the legends. Carrera was especially warmly received, bringing the long-awaited RPL title to Spartak in the 2016/2017 season. Active fans returned to the red and white stands, driving the team forward. How nice it is to see the game in an environment like this! The fans also prepared a performance in honor of Ilya Tsymbalar.
Tsymbalar has always stood out for his aesthetic performance. Therefore, the friends who went out onto the field in honor of the former Spartak midfielder played the same way. The red and whites moved the ball through short passes, combining and turning. Egor Titov, one of the strongest playmakers in Russian history, felt especially confident in such a game.
The first goal came at the beginning of the first half. Andrey Eshchenko found himself in the center of the area and sent the ball into the goal of the world team after a pass from Alexey Meleshin. It is true that there was an offside in the episode, but on a night like this it is not of vital importance.
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And the second goal occurred midway through the first half. Andrei Tikhonov found Roman Pavlyuchenko in the center of the penalty area, the striker could only accurately shoot at the goal with his head. Great ball from the former Spartak and Tottenham player.
Video rights belong to National Sports Channel LLC. You can watch the video on the Match Premier Telegram channel.
The speeds in the match were low, but the technique of all participants in the game was maintained. And the essence of the game is not the result, but the memory, the meeting of all the friends of Tsymbalar and important figures of Spartak and Russian football. It’s nice to see how Araz Ozbiliz and Andrei Tikhonov laugh in front of a corner, how Alexander Gatskan attacks Oleg Tsymbalar, as if it were a Rostov match in the Champions League.
No less interesting events surrounded the course of the match! The interviews conducted during the match, for example, by Carrera, Tikhonov and Alenichev, were interesting. The players did not forget the fans, signing autographs on the bench. And one of the oldest players on the field, Alexander Mostovoy, played almost the entire first half, despite having back problems. The Spartak and Celta legend was not very noticeable, but Semin and Carrera did not take him off the field.
Russian champion Alexander Samedov came out in the second half as part of Spartak and immediately gave a funny moment. Massimo Carrera greeted the former player from the sidelines, holding his hand and not letting go. Samedov laughed, but he still stormed onto the field. This episode once again emphasized the friendly nature of the match and the attitude of the two teams towards each other. And the current red and white striker Pavel Meleshin went to the Spartak fans’ stands to support his father.
The second 40 minutes passed at a less active pace. The veterans were still shown to be playing, even though the coaches used substitutions. And in the 73rd minute, the fans greeted striker Louis Robson, who played for Spartak from 1997 to 2001, with a standing ovation. He had never participated in legends matches before, this is his debut. However, the Brazilian did not have time to show useful actions.
The end of the meeting was “done” by Maxim Romashchenko. The footballer who played for the world team scored a masterpiece goal. The Belarusian player fired a volley and hit the top corner of Alexander Filimonov’s goal. But the teams were not happy with more goals.
Video rights belong to National Sports Channel LLC. You can watch the video on the Match Premier Telegram channel.
The meeting held in memory of Tsymbalar was definitely a success. It’s nice to see legends in one place. I would like to believe that this is not the last time!
Emenike told Championship about life after Spartak:
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“The most incredible thing in Russia is the expulsion against Zenit. Emenike is back at the Spartak stadium!
