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On Saturday, the Russian football season officially started with the Supercup match - Moscow's champion "CSKA" triumphed in a nervous, intense, and dramatic duel against city neighbor "Spartak" and added another trophy to their collection.
3 - 2
22` [0 - 1] Yegor Titov
42` [1 - 1] Yuri Zhirkov
47` [1 - 2] Mozart
72` [2 - 2] Chidi Odiah
82` [3 - 2] Jo
In the 90th minute, Alexei Berezutski ("CSKA"), Mozart, and Clemente Rodriguez (both from "Spartak") were sent off the pitch.
Two years ago, both clubs met in a Supercup battle, with "CSKA" winning 3-1 after extra time, maintaining their undefeated streak against "Spartak" for five consecutive years. Lithuanian Deividas Šemberas remained on the bench for "CSKA," while Ignas Dedura started the match for "Spartak."
In the forward line, following a mistake from goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, "Spartak" players broke through - the young "CSKA" goalkeeper carelessly went too far out of the goal, allowing "Spartak" captain Yegor Titov to head the ball into the net after a cross.
At the end of the first half, the "army men" managed to equalize the score when Yuri Zhirkov found himself behind the opponents in the penalty area and defeated goalkeeper Aleksey Zuyev with a shot, but after the break, "Spartak" regained their advantage - receiving a pass from I. Dedura, Brazilian goalkeeper Mozart scored with a header.
Nevertheless, "CSKA" did not give up, and in the 72nd minute, Chidi Odiah leveled the score after a mistake by A. Zuyev, and just ten minutes later, a beautiful header from the new Brazilian acquisition of the Russian champions, Jo, put his team ahead.
Tension reached its peak towards the end of the match, and during extra time, three players received a second yellow card and were sent off the pitch: Aleksei Berezutski and Clemente Rodriguez were punished for rough play, while Mozart had to leave the field for a scuffle with Chidi Odiah. By the way, I. Dedura also got involved in the altercation, but the Lithuanian managed to avoid punishment.
"CSKA" celebrated the victory and added another trophy to their extensive collection of last year's titles - in addition to the Russian championship and the Russian and UEFA cups, the Moscow club can now include the country's Supercup.
