Dynamo supporters were treated to yet another difficult match-up at Arena Khimki as the Moscovites took on Rostov. Though currently 12th in the league, the visitors are a formidable opponent this season, with new talent on the roster such as striker Danko Lazovic, on loan from Zenit as of this winter. Rostov coach Miodrag Bozovic has done great things with the team. He had a coaching stint at Dynamo a few years back and has since proven to be fairly consistent.
The Moscovites have been incredibly successful at home against Rostov, and today's result only confirmed their record. Dynamo did not have too good a start, trudging through the first half much like they did against Kuban last week. The World Cup Qualifiers took their toll on the team, with key players like Christian Noboa returning quite late to join in the pre-game prep, and Aleksandr Kokorin picking up an injury during the Russia-Brazil game. Striker Solomatin made his debut for the First Team, and though he didn't quite unlock his full potential, his presence set the stage for further competition within the starting eleven. Today's match was less about new faces and more of a blast from the past as veteran striker Kevin Kuranyi scored a classic far post header off the pitch from Dzsudzsak's corner delivery.
Rostov played a very physical game, making it even more difficult for the Moscovites to move forward. The home team still regained possession towards the end of the first half, maintaining it with class through the beginning of the next 45. Both teams had few chances however, making the game more oriented towards set pieces. The Moscovites lacked aggression on the ball, while Rostov was unable to finish most of its combinations. Holding up a 1:0 win and getting the three points is still an accomplishment for Dynamo, who are now in the top 5 of the Premier League Table.
Though some may say that Dynamo's main opponents are in the middle of the table, head coach Dan Petrescu begs to differ. "Every game is difficult," he pointed out at a post-match interview. "I think all ten teams have a chance, but I don't like to look at the table too much. When we had 0 points [after the first 5 games], I didn't look either. It's not good to look at the table now; I want to look at it at the end of the season." When asked about the possibility of a 3rd place finish, the ever-demanding Petrescu was realistic. "We have to not ask many things," he said. "The first and most important thing is to be in a position [to qualify for a European tournament]." Rostov's Miodrag Bozovic predicted a fifth place finish for his former club and praised Dynamo's defense in today's game, but also noted the lack of Russian international Aleksandr Kokorin on the pitch. "[The game] would have been a completely different story," said the Montenegrin specialist.
The Moscovites remain unbeaten in the 2nd leg of the RPL, though they recently lost their friendly against FC Khimki. They currently have an 8-game unbeaten streak in both legs of the championship.
Russian Premier League - Matchweek 22
Saturday, March 30, 2013, 10:30am ET
Dynamo Moscow vs Rostov - 1:0 (1:0)
Venue: Arena Khimki
Referee: Aleksei Eskov (Moscow)
Assistant Referees: Aleksei Vorontsov (Yaroslavl), Aleksei Lunev (Novosibirsk)
Goals:
(27') 1:0 Kevin Kuranyi (Asst. Balazs Dzsudzsak)
Full Time Stats:
Possession (%): 49:51
Shots (on target): 10 (3) :7 (2)
Corners: 4:5
Fouls: 16:20
Yellow Cards: 0:2
Red Cards: 0:0
The Moscovites have been incredibly successful at home against Rostov, and today's result only confirmed their record. Dynamo did not have too good a start, trudging through the first half much like they did against Kuban last week. The World Cup Qualifiers took their toll on the team, with key players like Christian Noboa returning quite late to join in the pre-game prep, and Aleksandr Kokorin picking up an injury during the Russia-Brazil game. Striker Solomatin made his debut for the First Team, and though he didn't quite unlock his full potential, his presence set the stage for further competition within the starting eleven. Today's match was less about new faces and more of a blast from the past as veteran striker Kevin Kuranyi scored a classic far post header off the pitch from Dzsudzsak's corner delivery.
Rostov played a very physical game, making it even more difficult for the Moscovites to move forward. The home team still regained possession towards the end of the first half, maintaining it with class through the beginning of the next 45. Both teams had few chances however, making the game more oriented towards set pieces. The Moscovites lacked aggression on the ball, while Rostov was unable to finish most of its combinations. Holding up a 1:0 win and getting the three points is still an accomplishment for Dynamo, who are now in the top 5 of the Premier League Table.
Though some may say that Dynamo's main opponents are in the middle of the table, head coach Dan Petrescu begs to differ. "Every game is difficult," he pointed out at a post-match interview. "I think all ten teams have a chance, but I don't like to look at the table too much. When we had 0 points [after the first 5 games], I didn't look either. It's not good to look at the table now; I want to look at it at the end of the season." When asked about the possibility of a 3rd place finish, the ever-demanding Petrescu was realistic. "We have to not ask many things," he said. "The first and most important thing is to be in a position [to qualify for a European tournament]." Rostov's Miodrag Bozovic predicted a fifth place finish for his former club and praised Dynamo's defense in today's game, but also noted the lack of Russian international Aleksandr Kokorin on the pitch. "[The game] would have been a completely different story," said the Montenegrin specialist.
The Moscovites remain unbeaten in the 2nd leg of the RPL, though they recently lost their friendly against FC Khimki. They currently have an 8-game unbeaten streak in both legs of the championship.
Russian Premier League - Matchweek 22
Saturday, March 30, 2013, 10:30am ET
Dynamo Moscow vs Rostov - 1:0 (1:0)
Venue: Arena Khimki
Referee: Aleksei Eskov (Moscow)
Assistant Referees: Aleksei Vorontsov (Yaroslavl), Aleksei Lunev (Novosibirsk)
Goals:
(27') 1:0 Kevin Kuranyi (Asst. Balazs Dzsudzsak)
Full Time Stats:
Possession (%): 49:51
Shots (on target): 10 (3) :7 (2)
Corners: 4:5
Fouls: 16:20
Yellow Cards: 0:2
Red Cards: 0:0
A scandal-filled episode of GoalChatter unfolds as Aleks, Hector and Chris discuss the latest controversy in the world of futbol. From Mourinho's comments regarding a certain award to the "stadium announcer" situation in the RPL's Terek vs Rubin game, to a group of anonymous US national team players complaining about the wonderful Jurgen Klinsmann, there's plenty of insanity happening both on and off the pitch. Tune in to hear it all!
*A note on the Matchweek Calendar: The Northern Ireland v Russia WC qualifier has since been postponed (twice). Also, the Dynamo v Khimki friendly has been moved to Sunday, March 24.
"Strike while the iron is hot" was the advice the Russian channel Our Football gave to Dynamo coach Dan Petrescu ahead of the game against Kuban Krasnodar. Dynamo Moscow have been on a roll since the end of the 1st leg of the RPL and came off a successful pre-season friendly tour. Luck was not on the side of the Moscovites, however, as the team's line-up of opponents this spring is the toughest yet. Add Kuban's new head coach Leonid Kuchuk to the mix, and you've got a very challenging match-up. Kuchuk, whose managerial debut last week against Volga in Nizhny Novgorod resulted in a 2:0 win, was motivated as ever to succeed against Dynamo. Never mind that Petrescu managed Kuban last season; Kuchuk's interests lay elsewhere, namely in putting pressure on the Blue-and-Whites' defense and playing an attack-oriented game. It wasn't easy for the Moscovites without their captain, Olympic gold medalist Leandro Fernandez, who is one of three players out injured. Aleksandr Kokorin took the captain's armband for the first time in an official match this year, and while he is no doubt a talented striker, it would have been helpful to have a more experienced player in the lead.
Kuban dominated the pitch for the entirety of the game, but lacked in finishing their chances. Their multitude of set pieces was nothing but wasteful, as plenty of them could have easily ended up in goal, but instead volleyed in and around the box. A beautiful counter by the Moscovites finally got them a goal when Kokorin netted in Jakob Jantscher's cross. The visitors' lead lasted a mere 5 minutes, however. Nikita Chicherin lacked confidence in his game, letting the opposition through, and Aleksei Ionov's through ball got Ibrahima Balde a far post finish. Truthfully, many of Kuban's attempts could have ended in a similar fashion. The team's skillful tiki-taka passes were certainly a treat, already reflecting the style of their head coach, who is known, among other things, for reaching the Champions League Play-Off Round and Europa League Group Stage with Sheriff Tiraspol. The team from Krasnodar also showed that money and skill need not be related - their level and style of play were quite reminiscent of Hiddink's Anzhi.
Aside from some theatrics and disregarded fouling from the home team, the match really kicked off after the first goal. Dynamo's sloppy passes were a tad less noticeable as the game went on, and the Moscovites put more pressure on the home team. Kuban's solid midfield and back four proved to be a mighty fortress. Also of note is Dynamo's keeper Anton Shunin, who made a few important saves throughout the match.
Three points would have been better for either team, moving them that much closer to the league's front-runners. "Overall, I'm pleased that we took four points in the first spring games," said Dan Petrescu in a post-match interview, referencing Dynamo's lucky 1-0 win against Lokomotiv last week. "I didn't like that we conceded quickly. This affected the course of the game, which turned out to be difficult."
While a draw is not so much a blight on the Blue-and-Whites' 6-match winning streak, one point is hardly enough to move them up the league table. The result is a narrow move from seventh to sixth, instead of Spartak's fourth place spot, just three points shy of Zenit St Petersburg. For the Moscovites, a win would have made all the difference.
Russian Premier League - Matchweek 21
Saturday, March 16, 2013, 10:30AM EST
Kuban Krasnodar vs Dynamo Moscow - 1:1 (1:1)
Venue: Kuban Stadium (Krasnodar)
Referee: Aleksandr Egorov (Saransk)
Goals:
0:1 Aleksandr Kokorin (Asst. Jakob Jantscher)
1:1 Ibrahima Balde (Asst. Aleksei Ionov)
Kuban dominated the pitch for the entirety of the game, but lacked in finishing their chances. Their multitude of set pieces was nothing but wasteful, as plenty of them could have easily ended up in goal, but instead volleyed in and around the box. A beautiful counter by the Moscovites finally got them a goal when Kokorin netted in Jakob Jantscher's cross. The visitors' lead lasted a mere 5 minutes, however. Nikita Chicherin lacked confidence in his game, letting the opposition through, and Aleksei Ionov's through ball got Ibrahima Balde a far post finish. Truthfully, many of Kuban's attempts could have ended in a similar fashion. The team's skillful tiki-taka passes were certainly a treat, already reflecting the style of their head coach, who is known, among other things, for reaching the Champions League Play-Off Round and Europa League Group Stage with Sheriff Tiraspol. The team from Krasnodar also showed that money and skill need not be related - their level and style of play were quite reminiscent of Hiddink's Anzhi.
Aside from some theatrics and disregarded fouling from the home team, the match really kicked off after the first goal. Dynamo's sloppy passes were a tad less noticeable as the game went on, and the Moscovites put more pressure on the home team. Kuban's solid midfield and back four proved to be a mighty fortress. Also of note is Dynamo's keeper Anton Shunin, who made a few important saves throughout the match.
Three points would have been better for either team, moving them that much closer to the league's front-runners. "Overall, I'm pleased that we took four points in the first spring games," said Dan Petrescu in a post-match interview, referencing Dynamo's lucky 1-0 win against Lokomotiv last week. "I didn't like that we conceded quickly. This affected the course of the game, which turned out to be difficult."
While a draw is not so much a blight on the Blue-and-Whites' 6-match winning streak, one point is hardly enough to move them up the league table. The result is a narrow move from seventh to sixth, instead of Spartak's fourth place spot, just three points shy of Zenit St Petersburg. For the Moscovites, a win would have made all the difference.
Russian Premier League - Matchweek 21
Saturday, March 16, 2013, 10:30AM EST
Kuban Krasnodar vs Dynamo Moscow - 1:1 (1:1)
Venue: Kuban Stadium (Krasnodar)
Referee: Aleksandr Egorov (Saransk)
Goals:
0:1 Aleksandr Kokorin (Asst. Jakob Jantscher)
1:1 Ibrahima Balde (Asst. Aleksei Ionov)
