Kairat take first points at RPL Winter Cup, steal Rostov big chance to win the tournament

2024 Winline RPL Winter Cup
FC Kairat 2-1 FC Rostov
Sunday 11 February, Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Goals: Kairat – Joao Paulo (30), Zaria (63); Rostov – Komlichenko (90+5)
Sent off: Kairat – Ulyanov (72)

Only one point was needed to Rostov to win the Winter Cup in their final match at the tournament against Kairat. Valery Karpin made a lot of changes in the starting line-up, so the key players like Sergey Pesyakov, Maksim Osipenko, Danil Glebov, and Nikolay Komlichenko started on the bench. Turnover near the own box led to first conceded goal, Joao Paulo scored after backheel pass from the partner. Second Kairat goal came from distance; Giorgi Zaria scored the power shot under the bar.

When Rostov leaders came to the pitch, Komlichenko impacted the game mostly. He suffered a foul from Kairat goalkeeper Vadim Ulyanov outside the box, and it caused a red card for keeper, and Komlichenko was the scorer in the final minutes. He has a goal in every of three matches at the tournament.

Rostov stay top with six points after three matches. The rest participants got three points, and per goal difference Spartak are second, while Kairat moved to third, and Shabab Al Ahli, already finished the tournament, dropped to fourth.

The only remaining match in Abu Dhabi is Spartak vs Kairat on 14 February.