League

Stadion Saratov
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dmitriy Urazov blasted a shot towards the goal in the 9th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Boris Lomonosov having to make a save. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Yuriy Vladimirov during the 13th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Dmitriy Urazov was really disappointed when he shot the ball just outside the right post instead of scoring a goal in the 20th minute. Saratov HC's manager could be seen on the sidelines shaking his head and muttering to himself as his team had just wasted another chance. When Andrey Novikov came up free with the goalie in the 23rd minute, the Saratov HC 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 Andrey Novikov couldn't finish the play. The crowd rose to their feet as Dmitriy Urazov kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Boris Lomonosov. That made the score 1-0 in the 27 minute of play. In the 31st match minute, Saint Petersburg was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Gleb Pilipenko to maneuver through the defense. Gleb Anikeichik, 31 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. Boris Lomonosov showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Andrey Novikov, who was totally free with the ball in the 35th minute. 46 minutes into the game, Aleksandr Belenko cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-1. Leonid Irdebenev was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. The first half was very even, with the score at 1-1 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Maksim Akinfeev was the one to do the kick off. Dmitriy Urazov recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 52nd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. In the 53rd match minute, Saratov HC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Roman Arshavin to maneuver through the defense. If Maksim Akinfeev had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 57th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Gleb Anikeichik during the 58th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After a rather tough play, Saratov HC's Gleb Anikeichik got a free kick in the 59th minute. In the 61st minute Gleb Pilipenko managed to get in a great position but fired away a sharp shot that went outside the goal on the goalie's right hand side. It could just as well have been a goal. Andrey Novikov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 63rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Boris Lomonosov having to interfere. After 65 played minutes Saint Petersburg got a freekick which was hit by Eduard Ayushiev. Boris Lomonosov showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Dmitriy Urazov in the 68th minute of the match. In the 69th minute Maksim Akinfeev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Leonid Irdebenev saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 72nd minute Roman Arshavin shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Boris Lomonosov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Saint Petersburg's Boris Lomonosov played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Dmitriy Urazov in the 78th minute of play. Boris Lomonosov showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Dmitriy Urazov, who was totally free with the ball in the 82nd minute. If Andrey Novikov had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 83rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Boris Lomonosov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Andrey Novikov in the 83rd minute of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Aleksandr Belenko got free with Leonid Irdebenev in the 87th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 91st minute the ball was on its way in behind Saint Petersburg's goalkeeper Boris Lomonosov, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. If Maksim Akinfeev had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 94th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Aleksandr Belenko received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 96th minute. Leonid Irdebenev tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Both teams had looked equal from kick-off, and no-one was surprised when the match finally ended in a draw.