Meetings between Lokomotiv and Dynamo are not usually classified as the main Moscow derbies, but in previous seasons these teams invariably put on brilliant shows in games with each other. In May 2022, in Cherkizovo it all ended in a fun draw with a score of 3:3.

In the next away game, Dynamo again scored three goals against Loko (3:1), but at the end of last season, Galaktionov’s team was already spectacular on a foreign field (4:2). With such introductions, it was worth waiting for the event game this Saturday.

Loko could have decided everything in the first half if not for Leshchuk

Both coaches made some unexpected decisions when choosing their starting lineups, leaving the most productive players of their teams on the bench. Loko’s all-rounder Nair Tiknizyan (4+1) started the game in reserve, but if this was no longer new to him, then Dynamo forward Konstantin Tyukavin (3+3) did not start for the first time in this championship. Also included in the application was Blue and White midfielder Denis Makarov, who during the national team break was suspended from working with the main team due to a minor conflict with the coaching staff.

For almost the entire first half, Dynamo’s attacking group, led by Fedor Smolov, was not able to create at least one chance at Lantratov’s goal. The guests held the ball with great difficulty, and there was no talk of interesting combinations near someone else’s penalty area.

The explanation for the lackluster game lay in personnel problems. In the absence of Ngamale, Makarov and Tyukavin, Marcel Lička’s team lost a significant part of its scoring potential. The absence of the injured Fomin and Chavez, who returned late from the national team, deprived the team of sharp passes from the depths. Just before the break, something started to work out for the guests in front, but the danger for Loko came primarily from the mistakes of their own defenders, and not from the creative actions of the opponent.

Lokomotiv definitely scored at least one goal in the first half. Suffice it to say that the hosts made six shots on target against Leshchuk, who was replacing the injured Shunin. It all started with a solo pass and Pinyaev’s shot into the near corner, followed by Glushenkov and Dzyuba who tried to shoot through the Dynamo goalkeeper.

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The railway workers surpassed the guests in all statistical indicators, but this was still not reflected on the scoreboard. For Dynamo, a draw at the end of the first half could be considered a gift of fate.

Parade of missed moments

After such a lackluster game, Lichka was obliged to make personnel adjustments during the break. The inconspicuous Gladyshev and Lesovoy gave way on the field to Ngamala and Makarov, who were supposed to add fire to the Dynamo attack. These changes did not bring any special dividends to the guests – Galaktionov’s team was still sharper.

The parade of missed chances after the break was continued by Ilya Samoshnikov, who hit the crossbar from distance. Leshchuk could only watch the beautiful flight of the ball and thank the goal frame.

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The next moment at the Dynamo gate was not long in coming. Dzyuba threw the ball past Fernandez near someone else’s penalty area, but was knocked down by a defender. The whistle of the main referee of the match, Sergei Ivanov, was silent, although the violation of the rules was clearly visible on the replay. If this episode had happened half a meter closer to the visitors’ goal, VAR would have intervened, but in the end the Dynamo player went unpunished.

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A little later, Silyanov came close to scoring, but managed to miss from a meter after a powerful cross. The next chance was missed by Dzyuba, who finished off an excellent serve from substitute Tiknizyan. In this scenario, it is not uncommon for a team with an overwhelming advantage to end up conceding a goal after a ton of missed chances. This could well have happened in the 75th minute, when Tyukavin, who appeared in the second half, went one on one with Lantratov. The goalkeeper ultimately emerged victorious in this duel.

The denouement could have come in the 94th minute, when the ball landed perfectly on Barinov’s foot. The midfielder’s shot turned out to be accurate and tight, but Leshchuk pulled off this shot too, securing his title as the main hero of the meeting.

The spectators never saw any goals in this game. “Dynamo” finished the RPL match with a score of 0:0 for the second time in a row, which is completely uncharacteristic for the Lichki team. Largely thanks to luck and their goalkeeper, the “blue and white” managed to earn one point, but for Loko, a draw in such a game turned out to be extremely unfair.

Live broadcasts of MIR RPL matches can be watched on the Match TV and MATCH PREMIER TV channels, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.