League Play-Off

Almetyevsk
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. Vsevolod Bulychov started the match with the kick off. After a defensive mix-up in Almetyevsk FC's zone, Aleksandr Hodin stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Luka Grinevich came out of the goal and Aleksandr Hodin tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 6th match minute, Nizhnekamsk FC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Oleg Sergienko to maneuver through the defense. In the 8th minute, Almetyevsk FC's Vsevolod Bulychov dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 1-0. After 11 minutes, Savva Sheremetov mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Nizhnekamsk FC and the Almetyevsk FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. The supporters of Almetyevsk FC booed when Nizhnekamsk FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 11 match minutes in a wonderful position. Savva Sheremetov didn't get a good kick on the ball. Ernest Yakovlev made an important save on a dangerous shot by Vladimir Kibanov in the 12th minute. Almetyevsk FC's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Irakliy Kafelnikov in the 14th minute. A collision led to Almetyevsk FC getting a freekick after 15 minutes play. Yuliy Bolshoy hit a great ball. Luka Grinevich didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Aleksandr Hodin went, in the 17th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-1 was the resulting score. Aleksandr Hodin sent away a hard shot on goal in the 23rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Luka Grinevich stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Kirill Orekhov's shot from short distance in the 24th minute. Ernest Yakovlev took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Vsevolod Bulychov, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Kirill Orekhov received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 31st minute. Luka Grinevich tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Vsevolod Bulychov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 33rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ernest Yakovlev having to interfere. Vladimir Kibanov took the ball and in the 35 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Ernest Yakovlev. Ernest Yakovlev dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-1. Nizhnekamsk FC's Ernest Yakovlev proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 38th minute of the match, managed to save Nizhnekamsk FC from getting a goal against them. After some careless play in the Almetyevsk FC defense, Kirill Orekhov kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Luka Grinevich. The Almetyevsk FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Luka Grinevich should have stopped the shot. If Vladimir Kibanov had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 48th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The fans had the chance to grab some refreshments as the whistle went for half-time. The score stood at 2-2 after a close first half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Kirill Orekhov to make the kick off. Kirill Orekhov might have been able to make a better finish in the 57th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Luka Grinevich. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Kirill Orekhov ran back to his position shaking his head. 61 minutes into the match, Nizhnekamsk FC's Kirill Orekhov sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Luka Grinevich narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After some careless play in the Almetyevsk FC defense, Kirill Orekhov kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Luka Grinevich. The Almetyevsk FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Luka Grinevich should have stopped the shot. In the 66th minute Kirill Orekhov shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Luka Grinevich saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Aleksandr Hodin fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 68th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Luka Grinevich having to interfere. After 72 minutes, Aleksandr Hodin made it 2-4 with a short kick to the right side. Almetyevsk FC's Luka Grinevich tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. Ernest Yakovlev took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Vladimir Kibanov, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. If Vladimir Kibanov had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 82nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Kirill Orekhov received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Luka Grinevich came out and tried to block the shot, but Kirill Orekhov slotted it home off the left post making it 2-5 in the 85th minute. Luka Grinevich showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Kirill Orekhov, who was totally free with the ball in the 89th minute. In the 90th minute, Aleksandr Hodin made a precise shot to the right of Luka Grinevich. Almetyevsk FC's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 2-6. Aleksandr Hodin fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 97th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Luka Grinevich having to interfere. The Almetyevsk FC fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. Nizhnekamsk FC were clearly better and deserved to take the win.