The match between Spartak and Krylya Sovetov turned out to be double-edged and interesting to watch. It is clear that the Spartak players in this game were not just aiming for victory. There were probably thoughts in my head about a major defeat in the first round.

Abascal made serious adjustments to the starting lineup after the failure in Grozny. This time the Spaniard didn’t even have to guess about the lineup; he simply sat five players on the bench, which is half the team. Today those who are better prepared simply played.

This version of the lineup compares favorably with the previous one due to its mobile and high-speed middle line, due to which Spartak outplayed Krylya Sovetov throughout the meeting. High speeds helped the hosts to press effectively, constantly straining the defenders, and most importantly, the “red-whites” quickly switched from defense to attack.

In this light, it is surprising to see the Samara team’s advantage in ball possession. But Osinkin’s team spent a lot of time in their own half of the field, while Spartak constantly played forward and tried to aggravate the situation.

“Wings” greatly helped the hosts gain an advantage. Conceding two goals at the very beginning is an unaffordable luxury for any MIR RPL team in the match with Spartak. After that, the “red-whites” felt confident and calmly brought the match to victory, not slowing down until the last minutes.

The guests were let down by blunders. Especially in the moment with Sobolev’s goal. Soldatenkov literally gave the Muscovites forward a New Year’s gift. But Spartak could have scored more: many dangerous chances were not realized. At the same time, the hosts played imperfectly in defense. Samara were also able to seal their goal, Maksimenko helped out.

Most likely, after this major victory, talk about changing the head coach will subside until the spring. Abascal will not be removed until the end of the season. Then they will look at the team’s results. “Spartak” retains its chances even for the championship title, and winter is ahead, and it is possible to strengthen problematic positions with quality footballers.

The arrival of Ribalta could benefit Abascal. The Spaniards are able to find a common language during the pause in the championship. There may even be a strengthening of the position of the head coach in the team. And it is far from certain that they will look for a replacement for him in the summer.

Watch live broadcasts of MIR RPL matches on the Match TV and MATCH PREMIER TV channels, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.

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