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Debutant Nalchik's Spartak continues to shake up the "Premier" league of Russia. After playing four more matches in the 12th round on Sunday, this club not only maintained its leader position, but also increased its lead against the trailing and equally played CSKA club to three points by winning a seventh consecutive victory. Meanwhile, another debutant, Luch-Energia, and Zenit also won and continue to march side by side.
The most intense match of the round took place in Moscow, where the title defenders CSKA hosted the footballers of Krylja Sovetov. In the first half of the match, the "army men" had the best chance to score, but hit the crossbar, and just before the break, the visitors launched a counterattack and scored a goal - running away from the defenders, striker Igor Akinfejev was beaten by Marko Topic.
In the second half, CSKA increased the pressure, but wasted one opportunity after another, while Krylja Sovetov failed to take advantage of their chances to increase the score. Everything was decided at the end of the eventful game. In the 86th minute, a somewhat bizarre action was taken by the French legionnaire of the Samara team, Serg Branco, who sat on the ball, angering CSKA's Brazilian Daniel Carvalho, who pushed the opponent. S. Branco received a second yellow card for his behavior, and D. Carvalho was immediately sent off the field.
Shortly after the rough foul, Krylja Sovetov's Cameroonian Osomeyang Angbwa also received a red card, and in the penultimate minute of the match, CSKA took advantage of their numerical superiority when Milos Krasic scored a stunning goal from the penalty area to the top corner. The game became chaotic, but neither side could snatch a victory and the hosts had to settle for a point.
Such a result was especially beneficial for Nalchik's Spartak, a club that broke ahead at home in the second minute against Perm's Amkar after Vitalijus Lanko's goal, and doubled the lead in the 21st minute with Denis Jevsikov's goal. Although in the second half, Amkar's player Andrejus Lavrik managed to reduce the deficit, Spartak celebrated their seventh consecutive victory and now not only lead by three points against CSKA, but also have a five-point advantage over the teams sharing 3-5 places.
Another debutant, Vladivostok's Luch-Energia, is playing quite successfully, defeating Rostov 4-2 after three goals in the second half, and with 18 points shares 8-9 places with St. Petersburg's Zenit. The latter also won 2-1 against one of the league's outsiders, Moscow's Torpedo.
Results of the 12th round on Sunday:
4-2 15' [1 - 0] Roman Monarev 38' [1 - 1] Mikhail Osinov 49' [2 - 1] Aleksandr Tikhonovetski 61' [3 - 1] Georgi Bazaev 76' [4 - 1] Aleksey Arkhipov (pen.) 83' [4 - 2] Alexandr Dantsev
1-1 45' [0 - 1] Marco Topic 89' [1 - 1] Milos Krasic Players Daniel Carvalho (CSKA), Serge Branco (Krylja), and Osomeyang Angbwa (Krylja) sent off the field
2-1 2' [1 - 0] Vitaliy Lanko 21' [2 - 0] Denis Evsikov 72' [2 - 1] Andrey Lavrik
2-1 25' [1 - 0] Eric Hagen 27' [2 - 0] Andrey Arshavin 42' [2 - 1] Sergey Budilin (pen.) Player R. Poskus (Zenit) did not appear on the field
Tournament table [table = 8]
