Match-day twenty-eight of the Sogaz Championship of Russia saw Terek Gronzy end their winless drought that stretched back to 30 July with a 1-0 result over visiting Amkar Perm.

With a win in their nine most recent encounters the Chechen based side entered the day with the threat of relegation not far off. From the opening whistle it was clear this would prove to be a defensive battle with only the hosts posting modest chances, albeit mostly the low probability kind. However with the contest looking very much like a scoreless draw lay in the horizon, Antonio Ferreira notched the winner at the sixty-ninth minute as Jonathan Legear’s long free-kick from the right was flicked off the back post with the twenty-six year-old defender racing forward to nod the rebound into the net. For the balance of the time Amkar offered little going forward and with the final whistle Terek Grozny claimed the 1-0 victory.

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In the opening contest of match-day twenty-seven of the Sogaz Championship of Russia, Terek Grozny rallied late to play CSKA Moscow to a 2-2 draw, honours even, at Arena Khimki.

The Army-Men grabbed the one-goal advantage five minutes shy of the break as Vágner Love notched his seventh marker of the campaign as he snuck behind the Grozny defenders to nod a chipped free kick into the net.

Wasting little time after the break, Seydou Doumbia doubled CSKA’s advantage at the forty-seventh minute with his twentieth goal as coming assault Zoran Tošić was fed the ball on the left side of the area from Alan Dzagoev before delivering a cross to the back post the Ivorian striker headed into the net. Down my two Grozny’s hopes looked until two quick goals with less than a half-hour to play. Coming at the sixty-seventh minute Aleksandr Pavlenko halved the margin when he latched on the short corner from the right and after creating space from Aleksei Berezutski with a stylish piece of ball work scored from ten metres. A scant minute later the match was level as Zaur Sadayev raced onto the end of Oleg Vlasov’s through ball, beating CSKA ‘keeper Vladimir Gabulov, before laying it back to Maurício to drive into the net from seven metres. Though CSKA applied considered pressure, Grozny ‘keeper Soslan Dzhanayev withstood their advances and the contest concluded as a 2-2 draw, honours even.

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In the opening contest of match-day twenty-six of the Sogaz Championship of Russia, bottom dwellers Spartak Nalchik notched a rare victory as they shocked host Terek Grozny 1-0.

To the shock of the Grozny supporters Sergei Tashuev’s side took the lead at the eighteenth minute as Serhiy Pylypchuk deftly played the ball through the left channel with Magomed Mitrishev then splitting two defenders, including a sliding Antonio Ferreira, into the area. The recently turned nineteen year surged forward before firing an effort from eleven metres that rasped off the mitts of Grozny ‘keeper Soslan Dzhanayev before bounding into the net. For the remainder of the day Grozny’s efforts to level were shy of the bar and with the final whistle Spartak Nalchik returned home with the 1-0 victory.

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Lokomotiv Moscow continued to surge up the table with a 4-0 devastation of Terek Grozny at Akhmad Arena in match-day twenty-four of the Sogaz Championship of Russia.

After an impressive start by the hosts, the Railwayman took the 1-0 lead midway of the half after match-day referee Stanislav Sukhina adjudged a penalty on Sergey Omelyanchuk for toppling Maicon in the area. With the local supporters whistling their disapproval, Dennis Glushakov stroked past Grozny goalkeeper Soslan Dzhanayev for the advantage. The margin was doubled a minute before the break, equally from the spot after Maurício was adjudged for brining down Maicon on the left side of the area with Dennis Glushakov converting on the opportunity.

The match was fait accompli two minutes after the re-start as Felipe Caicedo latched onto a dreadful back-pass on the left before navigating past hapless Grozny ‘keeper Soslan Dzhanayev and side-footing the ball into the net. Much to their credit the hosts continued to press but Lokomotiv ‘keeper Guilherme came up with a series of stand-out saves. With two minutes remaining Maicon completed the evening as from close range he turned in Dmitri Sychev perfect pass from near the left by-line to give Lokomotiv Moscow the 4-0 victory.

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In the final contest of match-day twenty-three of the Sogaz Championship of Russia, Dan Petrescu’s Kuban Krasnodar moved to eighth in the table with a 2-1 victory over host Terek Grozny.

Kuban were gifted the go-ahead goal at the twenty-eighth minute after match-day referee Sergei Lapochkin adjudged Antonio Ferreira a penalty for bringing down Vladislav Kulik in the area with Lacina Traoré then connecting from the spot. Grozny wasted little time with the equalizer as four minutes later Shamil Asildarov notched his fifth goal of the campaign as he headed in a right wing cross.

Eight minutes after the re-start Antonio Ferreira’s trying day continued as he whiffed on a ball, missing it completely and allowing Lacina Traoré into the area unimpeded to which the n Ivorian striker quickly scored. Through the balance of time Kuban Krasnodar was resolute in defending and claimed the 2-1 victory.

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Volga Nizhny Novgorod ended their win-less streak with a 3-1 dismantling of visiting Terek Grozny in match day twenty-one of the Sogaz Championship of Russia.

Without a win since 26 June, Volga has seen its fortunes turn culminating in last weeks 5-0 destruction at the hands of Kuban Krasnodar. Shaking up his starting eleven, Volga manager Dmitri Cheryshev made four changes with Vitali Astakhov replacing Ilya Abayev between the woodwork along with Andrei Buivolov, Sanzhar Tursunov and Gogita Gogua (14) entering for Gia Grigalava, Dani Bondar and János Székely. Grozny manager Isa Baytiyev, who saw his side grab a fortuitous draw last week with Rostov via a own goal made three adjustments with Blagoy Georgiev returning to the starting fold along with Adlan Katsayev and Zaur Sadayev for Rizvan Utsiyev, Guy Stephane Essame and Ewerthon.

Volga wasted little time in going in front 1-0 as coming at the eighteenth minute Sanjar Tursunov latched onto a corner from the right and with time to spare at the back post sent the ball into the net. Continuing to press, Volga doubled the margin six minutes shy of the break Gogita Gogua notched his first goal of the campaign when latched onto Sanzhar Tursunov’s provision from the right by-line before turning to fire a left-footed effort in from eleven metres.

Maintaining strict shape Volga effectively was free and clear ten minutes after the restart when Gocha Khojava converted from the spot following match day referee Alexey Nikolayev adjudication of a penalty. For the balance of time, Volga went to the task of killing off the visitor’s advances and though Alexander Pavlenko lodged an eighty-fifth minute consolation strike with a splendid volley from Oleg Vlasov’s right wing cross, Dmitri Cheryshev’s side laid claim to a 3-1 victory.

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In the final contest of Saturday in match day twenty-one of the Sogaz Championship of Russia, a late own goal provided Terek Grozny a 1-1, honours even, draw with Rostov at Akhmad Arena.

After a tight start, Timofei Kalachev shocked the hosts with a booming strike from thirty metres to go up 1-0 with chances modest through to the break.

Sergei Balakhnin’s side looked to en route to a victory until the last seconds of regulation time when a cross into the box from the left wing glanced off the arm of Răzvan Cociş and into the net to bring the match to a final, 1-1 draw, honours even.

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Dynamo Moscow returned to the winning column with 6-2 devastation of Terek Grozny at Arena Khimki in match day twenty of the Sogaz Championship of Russia.

The contest started quickly for the visitors with Ewerthon, recently arrived from Palmeiras, giving his side at the sixth minute as, from the back post, he volleyed in Blagoy Georgiev’s cross from the left by-line. Down by one, the White-Blues stormed back with Andriy Voronin providing the inspiration a minute shy of the half-hour with the levelling mark as powerfully headed in Kevin Kurányi’s lofted cross to the back-post from the right by-line. With the flood gates now open, Dynamo pushed forward with playmaker turning goal-scorer six minutes later as Kevin Kurányi notched his sixth goal of the campaign as he accepted Andriy Voronin’s provision on the right side of the area and after turning to this right and back to his left drove the ball into the net. In added-time before the break Igor Semshov doubled Dynamo’s margin on a quick assault as he sent a booming effort from beyond the area into the net.

At the break, Dynamo manager Sergei Silkin summoned Bosnia and Herzegovina international Zvjezdan Misimović into the affair for Aleksandr Kokorin and three minutes later the contest was effectively fait accompli as Artur Yusupov curled a free kick from the right to the top opposite corner of the net. Dynamo failed to extend the lead at the seventy-sixth minute Andrei Karyaka as failed to connect from the spot but eight minutes later Igor Semshov added his second of the day when he latched onto the ball on the left with nary a defender in sight and drilled a perfunctory point into the net. Three minutes later Blagoy Georgiev added a consolation goal for the visitors, his second of the campaign, with a powerful drive from just beyond the area. With the Dynamo fans in full celebration Aleksandr Sapeta etched his name on the score sheet in the second minute of added-time with a drive from beyond the area to bring the final result to 6-2 in favour of the White Blues.

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In a match that will be remembered for a near one-hour delay due to a power failure, Welliton and Artem Dzyuba’s added-time heroics gave Spartak Moscow an important 4-2 victory over Terek Grozny at Akhmad Arena.

With Demy de Zeeuw making his long awaited debut, Spartak started quickly with the first opportunity coming at the third minute as Kirill Kombarov’s right cross was tantalizing beyond the reach of Welliton surging towards the goal. Following that early offering Spartak was shocked at twentieth minute as Shamil Asildarov gave his side the one goal advantage

On the half-hour Spartak saw a chance to level come up empty as Artem Dzyuba latched onto a long ball but his effort was denied and Welliton volleyed the follow up over the bar. Five minutes later the hosts doubled the margin as Maurício turned in a rebound after Shamil Asildarov’s effort from the spot rasped off Andriy Dykan before returning into the line of fire off the post. Spartak had a great chance to pull within one before the break after Dmitri Kombarov was pulled down in the area and the spot pointed to but Artem Dzyuba’s effort was denied by a sprawling Soslan Dzanaev.

Barely two minutes after the re-start Grozny ‘keeper Soslan Dzanaev received a straight red-card for obstructing Welliton on the edge of the area and while he complained of call, he brought it upon himself for not playing in earlier. With absolute confidence Dmitri Kombarov plunked the ball to the bottom left corner of the net to signal the Red-Whites stunning comeback. Pushing forward with ruthless tenacity the match was level with fourteen minutes remaining as Ari, from what should have been an impossible angle from the back post, volleyed Dmitri Kombarov’s long free kick from the left. Showing absolute confidence, Spartak was cueing up for the go-ahead goal when the electrical power grid went out at the eightieth minute. With a wait upwards of one-hour the match seemed, at least to this author, to be on verge of being abandoned but thankfully play resumed. Despite the long break, play was attacking with Spartak quickly restoring the momentum in their favour. Artem Dzyuba, after failing to connect on two late efforts found his heroic mark at the fifth minute of added-time as he camped in front of the Grozny goal and sent in his sixth of the campaign via Welliton’s brilliant cross from the right by-line. The onslaught continued as in the ninth minute of added-time Welliton raced onto a long ball, nimbly hurdled the ‘keeper before scoring to give Spartak Moscow the emphatic 4-2 victory.

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Rubin Kazan added to the woes of troubled Spartak Nalchik with a 1-0 victory in week nineteen of the Sogaz Championship of Russia.

Nalchik, with only two wins to show for their efforts this year, were hopeful of turning their fortunes as the former champions visited the Caucasus region. However the fates did not shine brightly on Nalchik as Sergei Tashuev’s squandered a chance from the spot following a hand ball call just past the half-hour when Leandro’s effort failed to find the net.

Searching for a way through, five minutes past the hour Rubin manager Kurban Berdyev added Igor Lebedenko for Alan Kasaev in what would prove to be a master stroke. With eighteen minutes remaining in regulation time the twenty-eight year old product of Torpedo Moscow latched onto Bibras Natkho lofted provision on the right and though he may have got away with a hand ball, turned before firing into the net to give Rubin Kazan the 1-0 victory.

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