They held their horses: Spartak left CSKA without the Russian Cup

In the final of the "Path of the Regions" of the Russian Cup, Spartak beat CSKA with a minimum score. Ruslan Litvinov scored the only goal in the derby in the 10th minute, effectively shooting into the top corner after a combination with Barko and Marquinhos. After the break, the Army team noticeably improved, seriously threatened Maksimenko's goal several times and put pressure on the red and white defense until the last minutes, but Juan Carcedo's team held the winning score. Spartak will play Krasnodar or Dynamo in the Russian Cup superfinal.

According to the Spartak recipe

The fact that CSKA fired Fabio Celestini before the cup derby, replacing him with Dmitry Igdisamov, did not exactly please Spartak. After all, the Red and white did the same trick as recently as November. They also did not wait for the end of the first part of the season and parted ways with Deyan Stankovich, and entrusted the helm to Vadim Romanov. A man from the headquarters of the main team, who previously worked very successfully in the club system with young football players.

Almost a copy of the story of Igdisamov, who raised Kislyak, Glebov and Lukin. Moreover, Romanov played his first match in the role of acting against CSKA. And how he spent it! The team entered the derby with burning eyes and, not being the favorite at that time, won thanks to Dmitriev's goal. So the army used the same trick as the red and white.

However, there were a number of differences. First of all, Spartak did not fall off the peak then, but won two matches in a row (in the championship and the Cup). Secondly, the cadres, who, as you know, decide everything. Before the November derby, only Solari and Levi Garcia were missing. CSKA's losses on Wednesday included Akinfeev, Moises and Enrique Carmo. And Lukin and Glebov, who were included in the application, have just returned to the ranks, having missed, respectively, five and three matches. Of course, both started the game on the bench. And there was exactly one surprise at the army start — Artem Bandikyan. Another pupil of Igdisamov, who last played in official matches back in November, was now positioned on the right in midfield.

At the same time, Musaev, not Luciano, played to the left. It was he who struck the first blow for the guests, but an attempt to hit the target from the turn did not become a serious task for Maksimenko. But Litvinov struck, so he struck. After Barco and Marquinhos hit the wall, Ruslan received the ball from the Brazilian and shot into the top corner with a ricochet off the crossbar. A true masterpiece of a football player, whose long-range attacks have become one of the hallmarks of Juan Carlos Carcedo's team.

By the way, in the exchange of attacks, one could see the difference in the emotional state of the principal rivals. CSKA, even after taking the ball for quite a long time, could not come up with anything in a positional offensive. In the most promising attack in a relatively free space, it all ended with Bandikyan shooting into Maksimenko's hands. In turn, the red-whites ahead did a lot with ease, making bold decisions. Marquinhos just missed, shooting from a long range. So Jedson Fernandes— nominally a right—back, flew into Solari's flank pass and forced Haste to pull the ball out of the corner.

But CSKA did not look hopeless and almost caught his chance in a counterattack. After scoring, Musaev turned out to be faster than Marquinhos, who insured his partners, but Maximenko, who knocked him out in the tackle, managed to get to the ball first. It was tense, but not nearly as dangerous as in the episode when Ugalde caught the ball at the field line and shot at Umyarov, and the away goal was saved by the dedication of the defenders. In general, Spartak could rather have left with a more impressive advantage in the score during the break.

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CSKA's eyes lit up

It is expected that Glebov came out for the second half from CSKA. And Musaev moved to the center of the attacking three, where the replaced Gondu was completely lost. Perhaps the most active member of the guests in the first 45 minutes. And he had to compare scores pretty quickly, having managed to get to the ball after Maksimenko stopped Glebov's shot complicated by a steep trajectory. Only the Spartak keeper was ready for Musaev's attempt, disrupting the ovation of the red and white stands.

Spartak responded with a treacherous Barko kick, which Torop had to pull out from under the crossbar. However, the hosts' army men were already superior in sharpness. Kislyak's stunning pass from the center circle to Bandikyan's exit was supposed to be a goal — the red-and-whites were saved by Zobnin's tackle, from whose foot the ball arced over the goal. And before his substitution, Bandikyan hit the post. Yes, if the ball was in the goal, VAR could determine Musaev's offside, but this did not negate the main thing — CSKA turned the game 180 degrees and gave one of the best stretches since the beginning of the year.

The video assistants had to turn on when Kirill Levnikov presented a red card to Oblyakov, who got spikes in Martins' leg. However, the referee's visit to the monitor led to the cancellation of the decision (only a yellow card), and the derby continued in equal numbers. It was even better for the intrigue, although Carcedo was indignant. On the other hand, even without gaining a numerical advantage, Spartak profited from the forced pause. CSKA lost its rhythm, the defense of the hosts became much easier, but the attack did not make life easier for the team due to the unsuccessful finishing strikes of Wu and Martins.

In the end, the hosts had to endure. Jiku's header was stopped by a shot from Glebov, who remained in the game despite the pain of injury sustained at the beginning of the second half. But still Cyril needed a replacement. And without him and with defender Danilov at the forefront of the attack, the army men, whose eyes were burning again, could not break through the red and white wall. Carcedo has one step left to lead Spartak to the trophy. The opponent will be determined tomorrow in the confrontation between Krasnodar and Dynamo.