League Play-Off

Stadion Salavat
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. Natan Silin started the match with the kick off. In the 2nd match minute, Salavat FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Boris Bolotov to maneuver through the defense. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Valeriy Malyshevskiy during the 7th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Sochi getting a freekick after 7 minutes play. Valeriy Malyshevskiy hit a great ball. 8 minutes into the match, Sochi's goalkeeper Egor Ignatiev had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Sergey Shabad. After having played for 15 minutes, Daniil Volochkov managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Sochi's supporters crossed their fingers, but Daniil Volochkov was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Nikita Smertin took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Daniil Volochkov, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Daniil Volochkov sent away a hard shot on goal in the 21st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 26 played minutes Sochi got a freekick which was hit by Daniil Duditskiy. In the 31st minute, Vladimir Brazhnik made a precise shot to the right of Nikita Smertin. Salavat FC's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-1. Egor Ignatiev made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Natan Silin in the 36th minute of play. Daniil Volochkov scored 0-2 in the 38th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Nikita Smertin, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. After a rather tough play, Sochi's Gordey Lyadin got a free kick in the 41st minute. After a defensive mix-up in Salavat FC's zone, Rustam Massalskiy stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Nikita Smertin came out of the goal and Rustam Massalskiy tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After some careless play in the Salavat FC defense, Rustam Massalskiy kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Nikita Smertin. The Salavat FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Nikita Smertin should have stopped the shot. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-3 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Rustam Massalskiy made a kick off. Rustam Massalskiy recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 54th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. 56 minutes into the match, Sochi's Rustam Massalskiy sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Nikita Smertin narrowly saved just below the crossbar. The Sochi fans' excitement grew in the 59th match minute when Sochi's Egor Bochkin looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 0-4 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. After a rather tough play, Sochi's Vladimir Brazhnik got a free kick in the 65th minute. Salavat FC's Nikita Smertin played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Rustam Massalskiy in the 70th minute of play. After 71 minutes, Gleb Afonichev mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Salavat FC and the Sochi players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 71 played minutes Salavat FC got a freekick which was hit by Gleb Afonichev. Daniil Volochkov received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 76th minute. Nikita Smertin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Sergey Shabad received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 83rd minute. Egor Ignatiev tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Natan Silin had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Rustam Massalskiy received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 91st minute. Nikita Smertin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Daniil Volochkov received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 93rd minute. Nikita Smertin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Nikita Smertin showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Rustam Massalskiy in the 96th minute of the match. Nikita Smertin took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Rustam Massalskiy, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Sochi's fans were overjoyed with their teams well-earned victory and stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to celebrate the win.