League Play-Off

Stadion Berezniki
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, 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. Stepan Bazilevich started the match with the kick off. In the 6th minute, Albert Ilyushenko hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Anatoliy Etlis charged in rather forcefully in the 9th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Anatoliy Etlis the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. In the 9th match minute, Сибирь was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Anatoliy Etlis to maneuver through the defense. If Albert Ilyushenko had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 16th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After a rather tough play, Saransk's German Bazhov got a free kick in the 20th minute. The supporters of Сибирь booed when Saransk was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 22 match minutes in a wonderful position. Nikolay Gorbachev didn't get a good kick on the ball. Stanislav Dzyuba's late challenge caught a Saransk's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Stanislav Dzyuba helped the player get up and apologised. Stanislav Dzyuba hit a great freekick 24 minutes into the match. Saransk's Gennadiy Vlasov played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Stepan Bazilevich in the 30th minute of play. 43 minutes into the match, Saransk's goalkeeper Gennadiy Vlasov had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Petr Borodaenko. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Albert Ilyushenko in the 45th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Valentin Rumyantsev prevented the ball from getting in the gole. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Albert Ilyushenko was the one to do the kick off. After having played for 52 minutes, German Bazhov managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Saransk's supporters crossed their fingers, but German Bazhov was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. The audience thought a goal was coming when German Bazhov got free with Valentin Rumyantsev in the 60th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Anatoliy Etlis was shown his second yellow card after 61 minutes, following a rather ugly tackle on opponent. That was the end of his participation in the match. Anatoliy Etlis kicked well hit freekick during the 61st minute of the match. After some fancy dribbling in the 64th minute, German Bazhov managed to get in a good position for a shot. Saransk's supporters rose to their feet, but German Bazhov was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Valentin Rumyantsev breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. German Bazhov could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 68th minute of the match, but Valentin Rumyantsev made a huge save. Valentin Rumyantsev made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Albert Ilyushenko in the 71st minute of play. When German Bazhov came up free with the goalie in the 74th minute, the Saransk 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 German Bazhov couldn't finish the play. In the 76th minute the ball was on its way in behind Сибирь's goalkeeper Valentin Rumyantsev, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. German Bazhov could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 80th minute of the match, but Valentin Rumyantsev made a huge save. German Bazhov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 85th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Valentin Rumyantsev having to interfere. German Bazhov struck a weak shot in the 86th minute. Valentin Rumyantsev didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Saransk. Сибирь's Valentin Rumyantsev played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Albert Ilyushenko in the 90th minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 96th minute, German Bazhov managed to get in a good position for a shot. Saransk's supporters rose to their feet, but German Bazhov was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Valentin Rumyantsev breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. The second half was just like the first, even and exciting. The match ended in a draw.