by Aleks V | @aleksvee

Week 19 of the 2014/15 Russian Premier League will feature one of the biggest fixtures of any season - the Moscow derby between Spartak and Dynamo. The oldest derby in Russian football was first played on June 17, 1923. Coincidentally, it was Dynamo Moscow's debut match. The game saw five goals, plenty of action, and a controversial late spot-kick that gave Spartak's predecessor, Krasnaya Presnya, the victory. To top it all off, the referee, Konstantin Kvashnin, would go on to play for and manage both sides! Needless to say, that game set the stage for a rivalry no lesser than the Manchester derby in England or El Derbi madrileno in Spain.

August 2014: The captains stand by for the coin toss. Photo: Konstantin Rybin

Dynamo and Spartak did not just dominate the Soviet Top League for many years, but also played together as one unit in the All-Union Spartakiad and sometimes traveled abroad representing Moscow in international friendlies. As with other rivalries, there were and still are players who leave one team for the other. Although such a move has long been regarded as betrayal, there is less of a stigma these days, since loyalty to one side for a long period of time is a rarity in modern football. Dynamo defender Vladimir Granat, currently on loan at Rostov, will join Spartak at the end of the season. A handful of managers have been at the helm for both sides. Dynamo's current head coach, Stanislav Cherchesov, played in goal for Spartak and managed the red-and-whites in 2007-2008.

While Dynamo's only domestic silverware since the collapse of the Soviet Union is the 1995 Russian Cup, Spartak were consistently successful at the dawn of post-Soviet football. The Romantsev era saw nine league titles, six of them consecutive, along with two Cup wins and a 1997-98 UEFA Cup semi-final appearance. Their streak began to peter out after Romantsev's exit, however. The club had seven managers in nine seasons, and while they did finish runners-up on five occasions, it's been almost 14 years since their last league title, and almost 12 since they last lifted the Russian Cup.

Dynamo, on the other hand, have not won a championship since 1976. The beginning of their title drought shifted the spotlight to their namesakes in Kiev, whose rivalry with Spartak attained a higher popularity in the 1970's. Spartak and Dynamo Moscow's form in recent years, however, has brought back potential for a resurgence of such games as the nostalgic among us have longed for. In the 2012/13 season, Spartak marked one of their biggest victories over Dynamo by winning four goals to nil. That same season, Dan Petrescu led the blue-and-whites to a 5:1 derby win, a score that they hadn't had against Spartak for 64 years.

Dynamo have yet to beat Spartak since that game. The start of the 2014/15 season marked the 200th match between Spartak and Dynamo, a 2:1 win for the red-and-whites away at Arena Khimki.

For the second season, Dynamo's unbeaten streak was cut short at 18 games as they went down 3:1 to Napoli in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16. Spartak saw their own unbeaten run come to an end - after seven home games without a loss, Yakin's men lost 3:1 to Krasnodar on the 8th of March.

Dynamo go into Sunday's game with the spectre of a European play-off round, while Spartak, free from the burden of other competitions, will be looking to rediscover their home field advantage. A six-point gap separates 7th place Spartak from 3rd place Dynamo. At this point in the season, every victory can have a monumental impact. Spartak's patience with managers is always hanging by a thread, and Dynamo are long overdue for a top three finish. What awaits us this time in the biggest Moscow derby?

Spartak Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow - Fast Facts:
200 games played (72-69-59)
Goals: 281-264

2014/15 RPL - Week 19
Spartak Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow
13:30 MSK (6:30am ET)
Otrkitie Arena
Referee: Aleksei Nikolaev
Suspensions: Kim Kallstrom (Spartak)

* Referee Aleksei Nikolaev has officiated three Spartak-Dynamo derbies (2 draws, 1 Spartak win) in which he gave out 17 yellow cards. In each game, he sent off a player after two bookings (2 Spartak, 1 Dynamo).

After three scoreless ties in some of last week's hottest match-ups, the RPL's 24th matchweek started off as a blank slate between Dynamo and CSKA in this year's 3rd Moscow derby. Though a somewhat disappointing result for both sides, especially Dynamo, who are in a 4-way race to finish in the top 4, the match had its own unique flavor. A packed Arena Khimki watched on as leaders CSKA stormed the pitch at the start and end of the first half. With Vagner Love suspended and Doumbia out of the line-up, goal-scoring opportunities were on the shoulders of Ahmed Musa. The Nigerian forward played out a few combinations with Tosic and Cauna, but only one attempt posed any danger to the net. The absence of the Army Men's top strikers seemed like an opportunity for the Dynamo to grab a much-needed 3 points. Petrescu's side had another advantage as well - the return of Kevin Kuranyi and Aleksandr Kokorin from injury offered a different dynamic in the line of attack. Jakob Jantscher fed balls to the veteran forward, culminating in the Dynamo's best attempt. Though somewhat less active and not in his best form, Kokorin provided some vital passes, getting the ball to the subbed-in Davydov in the second half. Petrescu's side had some effective counters, and keeping that in mind, CSKA's Slutsky thought "it was important to preserve the balance between attacking and defending" in order to get past the opposition.

Luke Wilkshire stops Ahmed Musa's attack. Photo: championat.com

Yet neither team's strikers were sharp enough to score, and sloppy passes were a recurring pattern on the pitch, especially for the Dynamo. Petrescu's side didn't make as much use of set pieces either and neglected giving Christian Noboa the chance to deliver them. CSKA gave away possession much too easily for the Premier League's top team and may have ended the myth that a team can still be productive with few options up front. The absence of Love and Doumbia in the attack was akin to Manchester United playing without Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie - there was no finishing touch, no added aggression on the ball that could make the difference between a shot on goal and a wide attempt that earns a corner at best. The game can best be described as "passive-aggressive", with bursts of action at the edge of the 18-yard box and occasional challenges, some of which went unnoticed.

The draw is disappointing for a derby that leaves one wanting more. Nevertheless, the fact remains: CSKA have been unable to score against Dynamo since March of last year, and haven't won against the blue-and-whites since September 2009. Dan Petrescu was not at all upset. "Judging by the chances [we created] in the game, we were closer to a win and probably deserved it," said the Romanian expert. "We played against the best defense in the championship." Dynamo's Alan Gatagov, who scored the only goal in yesterday's game against the CSKA youth, reinforced the manager's timeless philosophy. "Every game is like a final," he said. "We should have no regrets, and everyone just needs to keep moving forward."

Both the Army Men and the blue-and-whites will have to gird their loins for the quarter-finals of the Russian Cup in five days' time. Although the Cup gives the Army Men a shot at winning the double, Slutsky has expressed a greater concern over the upcoming fixture in the championship. CSKA play Spartak in yet another Moscow derby on April 21st. The Dynamo have a trickier feat ahead, taking on a slipping but motivated Anzhi in both tournaments.

Russian Premier League - 24th Matchweek
Friday, April 12, 2013, 12:00PM ET

Dynamo Moscow vs CSKA Moscow - 0:0 (0:0)
Venue: Arena Khimki
Referee: Aleksei Nikolaev

Halftime stats:
Goals: 0:0
Shots (on target): 6 (0) : 7 (3)
Possession (%): 51:49
Corners: 3:3
Offsides: 4:1
Subs: 0:0
Fouls: 5:3
Yellow cards: 0:0
Red cards: 0:0

Fulltime stats:
Goals: 0:0
Shots (on target): 12 (1) : 10 (4)
Possession (%): 51:49
Offsides: 6:3
Subs: 3:2
Fouls: 12:12
Yellow cards: 2:1
Red cards: 0:0

The third Moscow derby of 2013 is guaranteed to be unpredictable. The league's current front-runners, CSKA, will play Dynamo on their shared stadium, Arena Khimki, this Friday April 12. Petrescu's side is looking to further extend their unbeaten run in the league to an impressive 10 games after last week's tie with Amkar. Although some fans have been far from impressed with the recent fixtures, there is much to be said about the 5th place team that started the 1st leg of the season in 16th. The race is on for the RPL's top 4, so a win would be a crucial result for the Dynamo, who, despite losing the first five fixtures, are now contenders for a fourth and possibly a third place finish. Dynamo is vying with some of this season's toughest sides, including Rubin, Kuban, and the Moscovites' age-old rivals, Spartak. Then there's Anzhi, the club that's been slipping as of late, conceding plenty of goals to teams in the lower half of the table despite a period of consistent success. Hiddink's side seems to have lost its spark, and it's questionable whether they'll be able to get back on track in time to cinch the title. The issue isn't just the team itself, but the fact that many clubs in the middle and lower half of the table have progressed tremendously. Just like many of Manchester United's successful fixtures in the EPL can be partly attributed to the acquisition of Robin van Persie, several teams in the RPL have taken advantage of the transfer window to strengthen their lines of attack. With Vagner Love back from his loan and Doumbia back from injury, the Army Men have upstaged Anzhi, sending them to 3rd place and creating a rather impressive 13-point gap in the league table (even Zenit is a whole 11 points behind CSKA). However, both teams face several challenges going into this match-up. CSKA's Love is suspended for the next game, as is Dynamo's Kuranyi, who got his last yellow for dissent during the match at Amkar. It is questionable whether Dynamo's top-scorer Aleksandr Kokorin will be fit enough to return to the line-up. Though several players as well as supporters have noted the negative impact of his absence on the pitch in the last fixture, the wise among the bunch rightfully understand that he's not the team's magic wand. It is likely that Dan Petrescu will take advantage of the opportunity to showcase some younger talent in the starting eleven, continuing his trend of testing less experienced players to create some friendly competition within the squad.

Even without Vagner Love, Dynamo should not take the Army Men lightly. The blue-and-reds showcased a solid midfield in their game against Volga, with Swedish double Wernbloom and Elm getting rave reviews from the press (ironically, Elm's blunder helped Dzsudzsak net one in last year). The team has also done well with almost no strikers up front. Dynamo, however, have had few options in the line of attack themselves, but that factor has not prevented them from gaining points thus far. Goal-scoring responsibilities for either side are going to rest on the shoulders of the youth. Dynamo will most likely rely on the likes of 20-year-old Solomatin and Solovyov, although veteran striker Sergei Davydov may make an appearance.

There's no doubt that CSKA manager Leonid Slutsky clearly remembers his team's two losses to Petrescu's side in the 1st leg; Dynamo were 12 points behind they surprised the Army Men with a shocking 2-0 blow in the RPL's 10th Matchweek back in September. The blue-and-whites' growing consistency and current level of fitness are more than enough to compensate for the gap between the two sides. Dynamo will look to secure the fourth spot in the table, while CSKA will focus on expanding their gap with second-place Zenit St Petersburg.

Giant Juicy Previews

Spartak Moscow vs. Dynamo Moscow
Sunday, November 25, 2012, 13:30 MSK/4:30 AM EST
Luzhniki Stadium

If you Google "Russian Clasico", the first thing that pops up is a video claiming the Russian Clasico is CSKA vs. Spartak Moscow. You also get photos of Cristiano Ronaldo, Pep Guardiola, and Rafa Benitez, so something must be wrong with this picture. What the world's most famous search engine - as well as most people - are unaware of is that the most historic Russian derby does indeed involve Spartak Moscow, and a different team from the same Russian city, a team whose motto is "power in motion". A total of 163 games have been played between Spartak and Dynamo Moscow, as opposed to the 151 played between Spartak and CSKA. But hints of the Dynamo-Spartak rivalry began much earlier than that. Dynamo's very first season in 1923 saw a spring quarterfinal in the Moscow league against the now-defunct FC Presnya Moscow, a club that served as the basis for the founding of Spartak. Interestingly, one of the players on the FC Presnya roster at the time was Nikolai Starostin, later the founder as well as a player and manager of Spartak. Dynamo lost 2-3, conceding the last goal after a controversial penalty call from referee Konstantin Kvashnin, who would go on to become Dynamo's first manager. As if that wasn't enough irony, Kvashnin started his playing career at Spartak at the time of Dynamo's founding; he would switch clubs only five years later.

Dynamo Moscow loses 3:0 to Spartak in the final of the 1950 Soviet Cup. Credit: Spartakfanat

The first ever game between Dynamo and Spartak in the Soviet Top League was played on Saturday, July 11, 1936 and ended in a 1:0 win by the Blue-and-Whites. The Soviet Top League, which was one of the strongest leagues in the world throughout its existence, started off with, and saw through much of its history, a back-and-forth rivalry between the teams, Dynamo Moscow winning the very first season in the spring and Spartak taking third place behind Dynamo Kiev. Spartak reclaimed the championship in the fall, but lost out to Dynamo again the following year.

As with any derby, there are sociopolitical factors involved that have changed over time. Some of the political controversies are mentioned in Starostin's Football Through the Years, but seem to be the author's opinion more so than events rooted in fact. Hence, unlike La Liga's El Clasico, politics play a much lesser role, and the emphasis in the derby is on the rivalry itself. Perhaps the Russian Clasico is underrated as it has fluctuated in its influence over the years; the post-Soviet era has seen a greater emphasis on Spartak v. CSKA, and even Spartak v. Dynamo Kiev. Alas, it was a dark and stormy night in early August as Dynamo conceded 4 goals to the Reds, also known as the Meat, in what would be former manager Sergei Silkin's last match with the team. The match proved a solemn truth - sometimes, a humiliating defeat is the only way to put an end to the worst era in a club's history.

Dynamo wins 2:0 against Spartak in 2011.

Dynamo has met great difficulties in the modern era, and the Clasico has been no exception. The 2012/2013 RPL season saw one of Dynamo's worst losses in the modern era with a 4:0 defeat to the Reds, a game that solidified itself as Spartak's 4th largest win in 76 years of the derby's history. Dynamo's last win over their rivals was on June 22, 2011, a 2:0 triumph with goals by veterans Igor Semshov and Andriy Voronin, both of who were part of Dynamo's ever-successful Fab Five. Semshov, a talented midfielder who played for Russia's National Team as well as the Olympic Team, has 5 goals and one assist this season in all competitions, while Voronin is currently on loan to Fortuna Dusseldorf in the Bundesliga until June 2013.

Meanwhile, Spartak has seen a more consistent record. The Reds finished last season in 2nd place, and unlike Dynamo, their record of silverware extends well into the modern era. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Spartak have won the Championship 9 times, finishing as runners-up in the last several years. Beside that are 3 Russian Cup wins and a bouquet of semi-final and quarter-final accomplishments (the team reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League two seasons ago). Dynamo's 1995 Russian Cup, the sole award of the Blue-and-Whites in the post-Soviet era, simply pales in comparison.

As Spartak continues to hold a prominent presence in the league, Dynamo's challenge remains - making the top 5 by the end of the season. Yet this season poses an interesting challenge to both teams as clubs like Kuban and Terek are just two points away from fourth place Rubin. Of course, the Reds have only a 10-point gap between leaders CSKA, as opposed to Dynamo's 21. But if the beginning of this season is any indication, we're sure to see plenty of surprises along the way. From Terek taking up the top spot to CSKA's two-time defeat to Dynamo, Russian football in the 2012/13 season has been topsy-turvy. What team, if any, will be minding the gap, and just what does the Oldest Russian Derby hold in store for the Thanksgiving weekend?

Previous Derbies:

Spartak vs. Dynamo: 0:2 (2011 season)


--
Dynamo vs. Spartak - By the Numbers:

Wins by Spartak: 57
Wins by Dynamo: 44
Draws: 62

Biggest wins:
Spartak - 7:1 (1991 USSR Championship)
Dynamo - 5:0 (1946 USSR Championship)

Trophy Wins:
Soviet Top League (USSR Championship) - Spartak: 12, Dynamo: 11.
Russian Championship - Spartak: 9, Dynamo: 0.
Soviet Cup - Spartak: 10, Dynamo: 6.
Russian Cup - Spartak: 3, Dynamo: 1.
Soviet SuperCup - Spartak: 0, Dynamo: 1.
USSR Federation Cup - Spartak: 1, Dynamo: 0.

Total Number of Cups -
Spartak: 35
Dynamo: 19

21 - Number of players who played for both teams
4 - Number of managers with spells at both clubs.
2 - Number of players who played for one club, but managed the other. Both played for Dynamo and later managed Spartak.

The Other Moscow Derby

Two recent transfers, Shifo and Bakkal, high-five each other on a game well-played. Photo: RIA Novosti

With Petrescu's last day being disqualified, assistant coach Emil Caras took over the sidelines. Dynamo started off with a bang - Dzsudzsák picked up the ball after Lokomotiv goalkeeper Kreshic failed to clear it. His one-touch shot was apprehended by Vedran Corluka. Maicon missed out on an early chance for Lokomotiv on the 9th minute. Dynamo keeper Shunin bounced the ball out in front of him, then took it in a fall. A quick counter soon followed by the guest team. Nikita Chicherin dribbled past a defender to shoot from inside the box, yet Corluka was able to clear the ball out. The magic began 12 minutes into the game when Aleksandr Kokorin got a perfect cross from Dzsudzsák, flew past Corluka and Taras Burlak, and easily won the rendezvous with the keeper, netting in his team's second goal of the season. Igor Semshov was so close to making it double. His shot bounced off a defender and came back, but his rendezvous with the keeper ended in a wide attempt. Dzsudzsáks cross to Lomic resulted in another attempt for the blue-and-whites, but the ball went flying past the post. 

Dynamo manager Dan Petrescu celebrates his team's goal. Photo: RIA Novosti

All the while, Maicon kept losing the ball whenever he picked it up. Yet he finally pulled through for the Railroaders, heading in the equalizer after Dynamo's defenders left him alone with the keeper in a failed attempt to create an offside trap. Andrey Yeshchenko entered the penalty box from the left flank, getting the ball to Samedov, whose shot was saved by Shunin. Dynamo were putting on the pressure, forcing the home team to sink back in their side of the field. Once again, Samedov tried to break through the Dynamo defense, delivering a free kick into the box where Corluka ran past a defender. It was an easy save for Shunin, unlike the home team's set pieces. Noboa took a free kick for Dynamo after Lomic was brought down, sending the ball over the net. A nice potential combination by Dynamo ended in a shot straight into the opposition's keeper. 

Marko Lomic's halftime replacement, Pavel Nyakhaychyk, took up Kokorin's beautiful pass in the box and sent it well wide of the net. The home team had a corner that, fortunately for the guests, ended in a shot that hit the side netting. Dynamo's counter failed as the players lost the ball in the center for the umpteenth time. Nyakhaychyk made up for the error by making a run on the left flank and getting a corner. A few minutes later, Shishkin did his part in preventing the guests from getting further with their combination. A beautiful counter by the guests continued the magic. Kokorin's through ball to Dzsudzsák gave Balazs a left-footed shot into the near post. Loko equalized soon enough; the newly acquired forward Dame N'Doye, who transfered from Danish Superliga's FC Copenhagen, scored his first goal for the Railroaders and the second equalizer by the home team. A free kick delivery gave him the header from close range. Evidently, Shunin was going for the 'most missed headers' record; to say he didn't try to stop the ball would be an understatement. Luckily for him, his teammates were quick to take back the score. Dzsudzsák provided the cross to Noboa from the right, and the latter had the perfect one-touch finish to send the ball into the left corner of the net. This was the Dynamo that fans wanted to see. The home team didn't stop putting on the pressure, and managed to successfully take the ball away from the Blue-and-Whites. Kresic saved Bilic's team from Semshov's attempt to get a third goal in. 

Bilic taught his club well - the set piece masters infiltrated the net twice in the last minutes of play, saved only by the top of the net and by Granat, who cleared the ball out from the goal line after Felipe Caicedo's shot ricocheted off Shunin. A Lokomotiv fan stood out among the crowd with a Nike shirt that read "Haters = motivators". Perhaps that's true for today's team; Dynamo came back from two equalizers from the home team, quite the contrary to the New England Revolution of the MLS. But there was much more at work for the club. The new management restored the team's faith, and that's the greatest motivation of all.

Regardless, Dynamo still have quite a lot to work on. They're losing the ball quite a lot in the center of the pitch, something I've seen all too often in Liga Mexicana games. The positive things to point out from this match would be better possession and the team's initiative to move forward, both features that were missing prior to today. Balazs Dzsudzsák was definitely the Man of the Match, getting two assists and a goal. Kokorin got a goal and an assist as well. Granat's defending was superb. The only player who shouldn't have started was goalkeeper Shunin. Overall, though, the team is definitely shaping up both physically and technically. 

Half-back Artur Yusupov was right to point in an interview out that the team's mindest was what made the difference. Dutch Midfielder Otman Bakkal, who debuted for Dynamo in the last minutes of the match, told Sovsport that he was glad his debut coincided with the team's first win. Assistant coach Dmitri Khokhlov summed it up best in his interview for the official site of FC Dynamo - "...the victory will give the team both moral and physical strength. It was definitely a very important win for us in this situation".

Petrescu's last match disqualification couldn't have had a better ending.
At the moment, Dynamo no longer occupy the last place in the Premier League table (Rostov have taken over, with two draws and a loss). Tied with Volga (1-0-4), Dynamo have every opportunity to make it to the middle of the table and continue their race for the top. It'll take a few more wins from FCD and a few more losses from the likes of other teams, but the restoration of a legendary club will be well worth the effort. 

Two of the RPL leaders, Zenit and Spartak, lost three points in today's games. Zenit, Terek, Spartak, and Rubin currently occupy the top four. Hiddink's Anzhi is in 7th place, but only one win away from 5th. Tomorrow's RPL matches will be Amkar vs. Krasnodar, CSKA vs. Krylia Sovetov, and Anzhi vs. Mordovia. 

Dynamo's Next Games

Dynamo will face off against Stuttgart in the 2nd leg of the UEFA Europa League qualifying playoffs on Tuesday, August 28th at 12PM EST. On September 2nd, Dynamo plays at home against Petrescu's former club, Kuban Krasnodar. 

Dynamo fans with a banner that reads "More Than a Club". Photo: fcdynamo.ru

Russian Premier League - 6th matchday
Saturday, August 25, 2012, 5:30AM EST

FC Lokomotiv Moscow vs. FC Dynamo Moscow - 2:3 (1:1)
Arena: Lokomotiv Arena (Moscow, Russia)
Referee: Sergey Lapochkin (St. Petersburg)
Goals:
0:1 Aleksandr Kokorin (Asst. Balazs Dzsudzsák) ('12)
1:1 Maicon ('21)
1:2 Balazs Dzsudzsák (Asst. Aleksandr Kokorin) ('59)
2:2 Dame N'Doye ('65)
2:3 Christian Noboa (Asst. Balazs Dzsudzsák) ('68) 

Halftime Stats:
Shots (on goal): 4(3):6(3)
Corners: 2:1
Fouls: 7:9
No offsides.

Full-time Stats:
Shots (on goal): 9(5):10(6)
Corners: 4:3
Fouls: 14:19
No offsides.

This is Sparta!

Spartak supporters. Photo: Spartak.com.

Spartak fans took over Khimki Arena, waving flags and lighting flames before the game even began. As always, the 80-year-old Russian Clasico promised to be an exciting match. In the end, the game yielded many goals in the Dynamo net. The nightmare continues for the Blue and White team as they start off the 2012/2013 RPL season at the bottom of the table. Both teams got off to a slow start, with weak shots coming toward both nets. Two consecutive fouls got Dynamo a free kick. Zvjezdan Misimovic got the ball into the center of the box, but newcomer Gordon Schildenfeld missed the net by a meter. Luke Wilkshire interrupted a dangerous cross, and the ball went out for a corner. Dynamo conceded their first goal on the 23^rd minute when Ari took the ball in the center of the pitch and passed it to the right flank, where Bilyaletdinov aimed a low ball at the center of the net that should have been taken easily by any goalkeeper, but Anton Shunin missed the ball under his armpit. Spartak fans applauded Bilyaletdinov's flick to Brazilian captain Welliton, whose shot missed the upper right corner of the net. Ex-Dynamo midfielder Dmitri Kombarov apprehended Kuranyi's cross to Kokorin from the left flank, preventing the home team from getting an equalizer. Dynamo continued to play almost entirely on counters. The team's midfield was completely invisible, and there was no one to distribute the ball to the forwards. Spartak's Welliton fouled Marko Lomic, as well as a handful of other players, but the referee was saving his cards for later in the game. Yusupov's attempt for Dynamo was weak, a low shot that bounced off the pitch and was easily taken by Spartak keeper Dikan. Kombarov's cross into the box to Welliton resulted in a shot that went wide. Dynamo's Semshov was taken down, but no cards were shown, and the team had to make do with a free kick. Schildenfeld picked up the ball, but his header went over the net once again. Welliton went on a one-on-one rendezvous with several Dynamo defenders and was taken down in the box, but the referee turned a blind eye. Kuranyi attempted to finish a Dynamo counter, but ended up getting a useless corner that brought about a certain deja vu after Schildenfeld's occasional miss. At this point it was certain that Dynamo was not motivated to go forward and would continue to give away a lot of space to Spartak. The first half ended with only one yellow being given to a Spartak player, Makeev, for holding on to an attacking Dynamo player's jersey on the 12^th minute.