League Play-Off

Stadion Makhachkala
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Sterlitamak's Petr Filippov 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. 3 minutes into the game, Fedor Kropotkin cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-0. Egor Kashirin was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Timofey Lukin charged in rather forcefully in the 6th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Timofey Lukin the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. In the 6th match minute, Sterlitamak was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Timofey Lukin to maneuver through the defense. Egor Kashirin showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Anatoliy Schulepnikov in the 8th minute of the match. 14 minutes into the match, Sterlitamak's goal looked a bit too open when Anatoliy Schulepnikov came free, but Egor Kashirin reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Petr Filippov in the 20th minute of play forced Makhachkala HC's goalkeeper Albert Blinov to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After some fancy dribbling in the 27th minute, Lev Dryanitsyn managed to get in a good position for a shot. Sterlitamak's supporters rose to their feet, but Lev Dryanitsyn was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Albert Blinov breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. A collision led to Makhachkala HC getting a freekick after 29 minutes play. Timofey Popov hit a great ball. Albert Blinov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Lev Dryanitsyn in the 30th minute of play. A hard shot 31 in the game by Fedor Kropotkin from a close distance when the talented Egor Kashirin managed to make a qualified save. Sterlitamak's players were relieved. 39 minutes into the match, Makhachkala HC's goal looked a bit too open when Lev Dryanitsyn came free, but Albert Blinov reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Timofey Lukin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 41st minute. Albert Blinov tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Fedor Kropotkin came free with the goalkeeper in the 46th minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Egor Kashirin could save by the left post. Fedor Kropotkin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 49th minute. Egor Kashirin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 1-0 at half-time.

In the 56th minute Anatoliy Schulepnikov shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Egor Kashirin saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Makhachkala HC's Rafael Berezutskiy couldn't find anyone to pass the ball to, so he shot a long shot towards the goal in the 58th minute. The shot went wide which resulted in a goal kick for Sterlitamak. If Petr Filippov had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 64th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience thought a goal was coming when Lev Dryanitsyn got free with Albert Blinov in the 71st minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Nikita Tihonravov kicked well hit freekick during the 72nd minute of the match. 73 minutes into the game, Petr Filippov was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Sterlitamak's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Makhachkala HC the free kick. In the 84th minute, Fedor Kropotkin made a precise shot to the right of Egor Kashirin. Sterlitamak's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 2-0. After a defensive mix-up in Makhachkala HC's zone, Lev Dryanitsyn stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Albert Blinov came out of the goal and Lev Dryanitsyn tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. For all the effort they put into the match, the Sterlitamak players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Makhachkala HC.