League Play-Off

Stadion Balakovo
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Matvey Lebedev started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. If Nikita Neizvestnyh had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 9th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ilya Babichenko showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Matvey Lebedev in the 12th minute of the match. The supporters of Ivanovo HC booed when Balakovo was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 13 match minutes in a wonderful position. Gordey Zaiyulev didn't get a good kick on the ball. Afanasiy Maksimov kicked well hit freekick during the 16th minute of the match. After some careless play in the Balakovo defense, Nikita Neizvestnyh kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Ilya Babichenko. The Balakovo fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Ilya Babichenko should have stopped the shot. The audience thought a goal was coming when Vladislav Nidergaus got free with Nikita Gavrilyuk in the 24th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Ilya Babichenko came out of the goal in the 32nd minute to try and stop a shot by Ivanovo HC's Matvey Lebedev. But to his dismay, Matvey Lebedev quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-2. Vladimir Savenkov's late challenge caught a Balakovo's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Vladimir Savenkov helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Ivanovo HC's Vladimir Savenkov got a free kick in the 39th minute. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 45th minute of the game. One of Ivanovo HC:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Balakovo:s goal. When the match had been going on for 47 minutes, Balakovo's Stanislav Nikitin got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Nikita Gavrilyuk.

In the 55th minute, Afanasiy Maksimov hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Nikita Gavrilyuk took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Vladislav Nidergaus, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 65th minute, Afanasiy Maksimov had to be helped off the field due to a pulled leg muscle. Vladimir Savenkov was shown his second yellow card after 65 minutes, following a rather ugly tackle on opponent. That was the end of his participation in the match. After a rather tough play, Ivanovo HC's Vladimir Savenkov got a free kick in the 66th minute. In the 70th minute, Gordey Zaiyulev hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Andrey Malafeev during the 73rd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 73rd match minute, Ivanovo HC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Andrey Malafeev to maneuver through the defense. In the 86th match minute, Balakovo was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Anton Filimonenkov to maneuver through the defense. If Nikita Neizvestnyh had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 92nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Anton Filimonenkov hit a great freekick 93 minutes into the match. Nikita Neizvestnyh sent away a hard shot on goal in the 96th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Ivanovo HC's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.