League Play-Off

Stadion Astrakhan
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Volgograd's Aleksandr Suzin started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Stepan Rossihin's late challenge caught a Volgograd's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Stepan Rossihin helped the player get up and apologised. 6 minutes into the match, Astrakhan's goal looked a bit too open when Valeriy Strizhov came free, but Daniil Dozhin reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Viktor Panskov didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Roman Vorobiev went, in the 8th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-0 was the resulting score. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Valeriy Strizhov in the 14th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Daniil Dozhin saved Astrakhan from getting behind. Astrakhan's Stepan Rossihin got his second yellow card of the match in the 27th minute. The referee ordered Stepan Rossihin off the ground. After 28 played minutes Astrakhan got a freekick which was hit by Stepan Rossihin. Roman Vorobiev fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 33rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Viktor Panskov having to interfere. Astrakhan's Daniil Dozhin played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Aleksandr Suzin in the 36th minute of play. Viktor Panskov made a fantastic save in the 40th minute, when Roman Vorobiev sent off a good shot on target. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

51 minutes into the match, Volgograd's Varfolomey Sytnikov sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Daniil Dozhin narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Roman Vorobiev received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 55th minute. Viktor Panskov tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The referee felt a red card was in order, 62 minutes into the game, when Albert Kiselev put in a rough tackle. 61 minutes into the game, one of Astrakhan:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. Astrakhan's defense didn't have a chance, in the 67th minute, when Aleksandr Suzin scored to the left of an out of position Daniil Dozhin, making the score, 1-3. 74 minutes into the game, Aleksandr Suzin recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Daniil Dozhin. Aleksandr Suzin showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-4. 77 minutes into the match, Astrakhan's goal looked a bit too open when Aleksandr Suzin came free, but Daniil Dozhin reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Aleksandr Suzin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 79th minute. Daniil Dozhin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Aleksandr Suzin had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 81st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Aleksandr Suzin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 84th minute. Daniil Dozhin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Arseniy Uryavin fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 86th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Viktor Panskov having to interfere. 92 minutes into the match, Valeriy Strizhov had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Daniil Dozhin. Astrakhan's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Valeriy Strizhov was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-5. When the referee blew the final whistle jeers and boos were heard from the home team's supporters. They were angered to see Astrakhan lose a match they had controlled from the kick-off.