League Play-Off

Stadion Norilsk
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Norilsk's Filimon Golovachev 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. Ivan Vinogradov struck a weak shot in the 2nd minute. Gerasim Alekseev didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Balakovo. In the 7th match minute, Balakovo was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Aleksey Golushko to maneuver through the defense. A collision led to Balakovo getting a freekick after 9 minutes play. Roman Kudryavtsev hit a great ball. After recieving a nice pass, Norilsk's Yuriy Pronskiy tried to score from far away in the 10th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. Balakovo's Roman Saburov proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 14th minute of the match, managed to save Balakovo from getting a goal against them. Filimon Golovachev fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Roman Saburov having to interfere. Maksim Seliverstov received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 23rd minute. Gerasim Alekseev tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Norilsk's Gerasim Alekseev played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Maksim Seliverstov in the 28th minute of play. A collision led to Norilsk getting a freekick after 29 minutes play. Vladislav Krymin hit a great ball. Vladislav Krymin hit a great freekick 31 minutes into the match. Norilsk's Gerasim Alekseev played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Maksim Seliverstov in the 35th minute of play. In the 37th minute of the match Adolf Kotov shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Gerasim Alekseev showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Balakovo's Ivan Vinogradov suffered a sore thigh after 39 minutes and couldn't finish the game. Danila Drozdov's late challenge caught a Balakovo's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Danila Drozdov helped the player get up and apologised. Danila Drozdov kicked well hit freekick during the 40th minute of the match. In the 41st minute, Aleksey Golushko sent off a long shot on goal, but the shot was nowhere near the goal and Norilsk's Gerasim Alekseev didn't even have to move. 47 minutes in the game, Filimon Golovachev fired away an excellent shot, which passed to the side of the right post without Roman Saburov having to interfere.

Vyacheslav Grebenkin fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 53rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Roman Saburov having to interfere. The audience was convinced that Filimon Golovachev's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Roman Saburov was relentless in the 55th minute of the game. Norilsk's Filimon Golovachev got a good chance for a goal in the 57th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Roman Kudryavtsev fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 60th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Gerasim Alekseev having to interfere. Norilsk's Filimon Golovachev got a good chance for a goal in the 62nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. When Maksim Seliverstov fell near the penalty area in the 64th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Balakovo's protests and gave Maksim Seliverstov a yellow card for diving instead. In the 64th minute, Maksim Seliverstov hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. May Bezlutskiy sent away a hard shot on goal in the 69th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. In the 72nd minute the ball was on its way in behind Balakovo's goalkeeper Roman Saburov, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Filimon Golovachev fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 74th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Roman Saburov having to interfere. In the 78th minute the ball was on its way in behind Norilsk's goalkeeper Gerasim Alekseev, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Roman Kudryavtsev recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 79th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. 84 minutes into the match, Vyacheslav Grebenkin had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Roman Saburov. Balakovo's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Vyacheslav Grebenkin was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-0. After some fancy dribbling in the 87th minute, Maksim Seliverstov managed to get in a good position for a shot. Balakovo's supporters rose to their feet, but Maksim Seliverstov was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Gerasim Alekseev breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Vyacheslav Grebenkin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 89th minute. Roman Saburov tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. May Bezlutskiy received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 91st minute. Gerasim Alekseev tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Gerasim Alekseev made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Roman Kudryavtsev in the 93rd minute of play. In the 94th match minute, Balakovo was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Maksim Seliverstov to maneuver through the defense. After having played for 96 minutes, Filimon Golovachev managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Norilsk's supporters crossed their fingers, but Filimon Golovachev was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Balakovo's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.