The second most powerful football division in Russia is called the Best League in the world for a reason. The championship received this ironic nickname largely because it is in it that the main problems of our club football appear in the most convex, almost grotesque form.

The First League once again confirmed its popular status in the 10th round, giving Russian fans one of the brightest episodes of the football weekend. This time the referee distinguished himself, having bought into the simulation of the Krasnodar-2 football player. The player ran into a blow to the buttocks and immediately fell, grabbing at the same time … for the face.

But the stupidest removal did not prevent Ufa from winning.

Where was the judge looking?

The match between Ufa and Krasnodar-2 opened the 10th round of the First League. And if for the southerners, who do not have big tasks for the season, this meeting was not a matter of principle, then the victory was extremely necessary for the Ufa residents. The Bashkir club did not start in the best way in the second division, where it fell at the end of the last RPL season: after the first nine matches, the team, left without many leaders, trudged a step away from the relegation zone. The game with the middle peasants of the league was a good chance for Ufa to score the missing points and improve their position.

And the Ufa team started the game decisively, opening an account already in the 16th minute. The team managed to keep the result in their favor until the break, shortly after which the home team got into a ridiculous mess. A red card literally out of the blue was received by Catalin Karp, who fell victim to the deceit of one of the Krasnodar-2 players.

At the 48th minute, the Moldavian football player on the flank received a push in the back. The player fell on the ball and immediately grabbed it, waiting for the referee’s decision on the episode. However, Krasnodar-2 midfielder Vladislav Samko did not want to waste time – and, standing over his opponent, tried to take away his football projectile. While the other two players in green were waving their arms, Karp pushed the opponent looming over him with his hand.

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20-year-old Samko decided to get the most out of the episode. The young footballer, who received a light blow to the buttocks, collapsed picturesquely on the lawn, while clutching his head. The fact is that in the moment Karp kicked Samko’s face with his foot, but this movement, even on repetitions, did not look like an intentional one, and even more so – like a cruel kickboxing move, as Vladislav tried to make it out to be. But the judge, oddly enough, this reprise seemed convincing – and he awarded Karp … with a red card.

Not only Catalina’s teammates were surprised by this decision, but also the commentators of the match. In fairness, the arbitrator punished Samko with a warning, but he left Ufa in the minority – and this measure did not at all correspond to the severity of the misconduct, which could have been completely ignored.

However, the unfair decision did not prevent Ufa from taking their three points at the end of the match. Just a few minutes after the removal of Karp, the Bashkirs increased their advantage, so that the missed ball at the end of the meeting did not become fatal for them (2:1). Ufimtsy held back the onslaught of the “bulls” – and took 10th place.