League Play-Off

Stadion Balashikha
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Vladimir Smirnov made the kick off which started today's match. Viktor Strelkov didn't succeed to prevent the ball from going into goal when Kostroma FC's Grigoriy Rakitov shot an unexpected shot in the crossbar's under edge and made 0-1 in the ordered_time% minute. Pavel Scherbakov hit a great freekick 11 minutes into the match. In a very dangerous position, a player in Balashikha fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 12th minute. Penalty! Balashikha:s Viktor Strelkov showed great skill when he stopped Arkadiy Mirskiy:s penalty. Vladimir Smirnov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 15th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Viktor Strelkov having to interfere. After having played for 19 minutes, Grigoriy Rakitov managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Kostroma FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Grigoriy Rakitov was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Grigoriy Rakitov received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 21st minute. Viktor Strelkov tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The supporters of Kostroma FC booed when Balashikha was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 33 match minutes in a wonderful position. Eduard Gorozhanskiy didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 41st minute the ball was on its way in behind Balashikha's goalkeeper Viktor Strelkov, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. A collision led to Balashikha getting a freekick after 42 minutes play. Georgiy Sharifulin hit a great ball. When Grigoriy Rakitov came up free with the goalie in the 44th minute, the Kostroma FC fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Grigoriy Rakitov couldn't finish the play. Luck had favoured the away team in the first, and they walked off with a 0-1 lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Vadim Sugatskiy stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 52nd minute Vadim Sugatskiy shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Stepan Perlov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Ippolit Kabaev during the 54th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 54 played minutes Kostroma FC got a freekick which was hit by Ippolit Kabaev. Vadim Sugatskiy sent away a hard shot on goal in the 60th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 67th minute Vladimir Smirnov shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Viktor Strelkov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Grigoriy Rakitov came free with the goalkeeper in the 68th minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Viktor Strelkov could save by the left post. 75 minutes into the match, Balashikha's goal looked a bit too open when Vladimir Smirnov came free, but Viktor Strelkov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Viktor Strelkov showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vladimir Smirnov in the 77th minute of the match. Viktor Strelkov showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Vladimir Smirnov, who was totally free with the ball in the 81st minute. 90 minutes into the match, Kostroma FC's Grigoriy Rakitov sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Viktor Strelkov narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The Balashikha supporters were disappointed that their team didn't take anything from the match, despite matching Kostroma FC's performance. The match ended with a win for Kostroma FC.