Yesterday’s loser played the best game of his life. Download genius!
When Lokomotiv Moscow pulled Ivan Ignatiev out of oblivion before the start of the season, everyone laughed. “Is that the same guy who danced on the beach with a bottle of beer?” asked astonished fans and experts. The transfer looked as illogical as possible.
Ignatiev has indeed been the main laughingstock of the RPL in recent years. But now the striker seems to have come to his senses. In matches for Loko, he did not fall out of the game, and now he has done a miracle and shut up all the haters. This forward took only 20 minutes!
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What is he doing?!
Few could have imagined that the match between Lokomotiv and Orenburg in the 7th round of the RPL would give the audience a spectacle. Much more likely was the scenario in which the railroad workers suffer in positional attacks, and the guests are looking for a chance on rare standards and quick counterattacks. However, things turned out completely differently.
Already in the 8th minute, Ivan Ignatiev received a cutting pass from Anton Miranchuk. The forward went almost one on one, except for the defender who was running nearby. At the same time, not everyone would have dared to break through in such a situation – the gates were to the side, and it was necessary either to hit with all their might into the near corner, or to try (which is more difficult) to get into the far one with jewelry. That is exactly what Ignatiev did! A billiard kick – and the ball flutters in the bottom corner of Evgeny Goshev’s goal.
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In the next 11 minutes, Ignatiev, to the surprise of the entire Russian football community, scored twice more. First, he put his foot under the backache of Nair Tiknizyan, and then helped Daniil Khudyakov get into the club of goalkeepers-playmakers, which already includes Igor Akinfeev. Fans, experts, commentators – all gaped in surprise. And Ignatiev just did what he does best: opened up in free zones and found the ball in the opponent’s penalty area. During the break, during the flash interview, the hero of the match was a little shy:
– It’s too early to talk about the bombardment. I just scored after a long break. Now it is more important that the team wins, and we will leave personal merits for later, ”Ignatiev said on the air of the MATCH PREMIER channel.
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And after the break, the modest one from Cherkizovo also scored an assist! In a high-speed counterattack, Ignatiev rolled to Kerk, who sent the ball into the Orenburg goal from the corner of the penalty area. That’s really it – broke through!
Historic achievement
The total amazement of football people is easily explained. First, a hat-trick is always an event. Secondly, Ignatiev has long seemed to all of us a waste material, a “golden” boy who loves to chill and does not like to train. Ivan was more of a meme than a footballer, and many waved their hand in his direction, saying: “This one chose the money.”
Last season, playing for Rubin and Krylya Sovetov, Ignatiev scored only once. His last double was back in 2019 – then, thanks to Ivan’s goals, Krasnodar defeated Sochi with a score of 3: 0. But hat-tricks in the adult career of an attacker never happened at all! But at the youth level there were pokers and penta-tricks. However, what striker can not boast of this?
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Perhaps now Ignatiev will finally find himself and be able to realize his enormous potential. In the end, at one time he was considered almost the most talented forward in Russia – and for good reason. But now Ivan is only 23! So nothing is lost yet.
