The Year of the Bulls: how Krasnodar won the RPL gold for the first time

Krasnodar beat Dynamo Moscow at home on May 24 in the match of the 30th round of the Russian Premier League (3:0) and became the champion of Russia for the first time in history. Murad Musayev's team scored 67 points, one point behind Zenit, which had previously won the RPL gold for six years in a row. Dynamo (56) skipped CSKA (59) and Spartak (57), finishing the season in fifth place in the standings. Orenburg and Fakel are leaving the top division, and Akhmat and Nizhny Novgorod will play in the play-off matches with the FNL teams.

The very first blow

In Krasnodar, everything was ready for the championship. A great pre—match program, large-scale banners from the fans - those lucky ones who managed to snatch tickets, the best squad of the bulls. Dynamo is on the other side. The one that came to Krasnodar exactly one year ago with the rank of leader and main contender for the title. A crisis team that changed coaches due to frustration four rounds before the end. And Rolan Gusev added Bitello to the six injured — Captain Balbuena, Majstorovich, Chavez, Artur, Laxalt, Tyukavin. The best assistant of the RPL after the meeting with Akron could run, but not strike because of a bruise.

The blue and white team came out with a severely weakened squad, but they were as tuned as possible. All week we've been reading how much Muscovites want to beat Krasnodar, taking revenge for last year's golden match and hoping to get into the top three. In the first minutes, it was possible to draw an analogy with the story from May 2024. Then the leading Dynamo left under a heavy burden of responsibility, forgetting about the usual lightness. Now Krasnodar was clearly nervous: two fouls already in the first minute, two sawed-off shots at their own penalty area in the very opening, but Mauhub forgave.

The main episode of the opening segment happened in the Dynamo penalty area, when the bulls came to their senses and went forward. Of course, a victory was needed for gold. Cordoba put Chernikov under attack. He was supposed to score, but above the goal. However, at the moment of transfer, Marichal hit the Colombian in the legs. Penalty shootout? VAR studied the episode for 4.5 minutes, and then it became clear why it took so long: John had a microscopic offside in the initial phase.

Gold on horns: Krasnodar became the champion of Russia in football

The first title in the club's history

It was in the 13th minute, and the first half couldn't have been more exciting. The tension is high, the stands are going crazy, but the moments are minimal. Krasnodar have another shot from Chernikov's penalty area, which was blocked by a defender. Dynamo had a free kick almost from the line of the 16—meter zone, from which Fomin, a graduate of the Bykov Academy, missed the target.

Petrov also suffered a small tragedy. At the age of 34, in the most important match of his life, the veteran suffered a thigh muscle injury in the middle of the first half, and had to ask for a replacement. However, this is more of a personal story — Sergey has an equivalent replacement in Gonzalez. Perhaps this is the only position where you can release an alternative without losing quality.

Krasnodar clearly needed to improve after the break: just two points per half was too little for a match of life. Moreover, Zenit confidently solved all the issues in St. Petersburg in the first 45 minutes - 2-0. What will Murad Musaev come up with?

There were fewer questions for Gusev in this regard. Yes, the game didn't work out without Bitello's mobile and active dispatcher, but there was no obvious gain on the bench due to heavy losses. Except for Skopintsev, but he's still defensive. The rest is beardless youth and Makarov, who has not been pampered by the top level for a long time.

Whether Musaev found the right words or it just happened, Krasnodar scored immediately after the resumption of the game. Cordoba, who a year ago deprived Dynamo of gold with his goal at the beginning of the second half, scores the most important goal again! After a shot from Spertsyan, Lunev hit the ball in front of him, where John was already waiting, 1-0, and the Colombian went to the podium to celebrate with his whole family. It was the first shot on target from the hosts.

It is symbolic that it was the combination of two players who made the difference, Spercian – Cordoba, who created this goal. Dynamo was not going to give up, they went ahead, but somehow artlessly, without zest, without witty moves that could have stumped Krasnodar. To deprive the most concentrated bulls of the championship, something non-standard was required.

In the 73rd minute, the blue and white finally came up with such a thing, but Ngamale just barely missed Fomin's shot. And Krasnodar soon actually killed the intrigue. In the 82nd minute, Spertsyan rolled away Krivtsov's shot, which was hardly difficult for Lunev, but on the way the ball ricocheted off Marichal and flew into the opposite corner (2-0). And in the sixth added minute, Spertsyan's penalty made the championship a taste of defeat.

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Participants of the joints

There is the first gold in the history of the club! Take a walk, Krasnodar! Celebrate, fans! Celebrate, team! They deserved it.

"I am very happy and happy for my teammates, coaches, and everyone who had a hand in this and made it possible," John Cordoba emphasized in a conversation with Izvestia. — A conversation with Galitsky? We managed to talk, it was an emotional moment that we deserve to enjoy. I love Krasnodar, I love this city. The way they treat me has never happened anywhere else. Was he close to joining Spartak? I won't talk about anything except Krasnodar and the championship. Talking about Spartak and Zenit is a waste of time.

Indeed, Sergey Galitsky deserved the most congratulations. He made this club. He built this gorgeous stadium, where the black and green took the championship. He had been pursuing his dream for 17 years. And I'm especially happy for him.

—Krasnodar's championship is a great event for the club, the city, Galitsky, and their students," Vladimir Bystrov, ex—Bykov and Zenit midfielder, confirmed to Izvestia. — They deservedly became champions. We went the whole distance of the season perfectly, unlike the competitors, we avoided failures and fought to the end. The leaders, Cordoba and Spertsyan, led the team in difficult moments. Zenit's lack of titles in the club's centenary is not what the management expected. Perestroika? I don't know, I'm not a member of the club's management. Some of the players who came to Zenit did not strengthen the game, while others weakened it. The season is a failure.

Also, in the 30th round, the teams that will play in the play-off matches were determined. Paris NN (losing to CSKA) took 13th place in the season-end standings, Akhmat became 14th. In the play—off matches, they will play with Ural and Chernomorets, respectively - these teams took 3rd and 4th places in the FNL.

It should be noted that the club from Novorossiysk has not yet received a license to participate in the top division. Sochi took the fifth place in the First League.