League Play-Off

Stadion Armavir
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Arseniy Yan started the match with the kick off. When Georgiy Ashlapov came up free with the goalie in the 5th minute, the Tula 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 Georgiy Ashlapov couldn't finish the play. Velimir Krutohvostovs short, quick shot in the 8thth minute got Valeriy Makhonov to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. In the 10thth minute of the game Aleksandr Zamoraev who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Armavir's Viktor Topol was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. In the 15thth minute of the game Arseniy Yan who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Tula's Valeriy Makhonov was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. In the 18th minute, Armavir's Nikita Dikan ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Valeriy Makhonov. Valeriy Makhonov yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 1-0. If Arseniy Yan had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 24th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. In the 27th minute Aleksandr Zamoraev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Viktor Topol saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Valeriy Makhonov made a fantastic save in the 31st minute, when Velimir Krutohvostov sent off a good shot on target. In the 37th minute, Georgiy Ashlapov got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Viktor Topol showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Georgiy Ashlapov in the 39th minute of the match. If Aleksandr Zamoraev had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 41st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 43rd minute Aleksandr Zamoraev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Viktor Topol saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 44th minute, Vasiliy Bedarev hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. If Georgiy Ashlapov had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 46th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The first half was very even, with the score at 1-1 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Aleksandr Zamoraev was the one to do the kick off. Velimir Krutohvostov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 53rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Valeriy Makhonov having to interfere. The audience thought a goal was coming when Georgiy Ashlapov got free with Viktor Topol in the 66th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. 68 minutes into the match, Armavir's goalkeeper Viktor Topol had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Georgiy Ashlapov. Georgiy Ashlapov could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 74th minute of the match, but Viktor Topol made a huge save. 76 minutes into the match, Armavir's goalkeeper Viktor Topol had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Georgiy Ashlapov. Valeriy Makhonov showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Velimir Krutohvostov in the 80th minute of the match. In the 85th minute Aleksandr Zamoraev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Viktor Topol saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Arseniy Yan in the 88th minute of play forced Tula's goalkeeper Valeriy Makhonov to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After having played for 94 minutes, Velimir Krutohvostov managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Armavir's supporters crossed their fingers, but Velimir Krutohvostov was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Valeriy Makhonov took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Arseniy Yan, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The teams fought very hard right up to the final whistle. Both sets of players were happy to go away with a draw.