Arsenal Tula overcome Azerbaijan’s Keshla FK

Arsenal Tula beat Keshla 2-1 in their first winter training friendly match on Wednesday in Turkey. Keshla broke the deadlock after 70 minutes, before a late comeback was sealed by Kings Kangwa and trialist Roman Minaev.

Arsenal’s Belarussian recruits Yuri Kovalev and Valeriy Gromyko both started the match on the right flank and in central midfield respectively. Kovalev had a vicious shot saved at the second attempt early on, while Gromyko was heavily involved after setting up Tudorie for a chance.

Goran Causic had been sent off for remonstrating with the referee, but Arsenal were allowed to replace him with a player under friendly rules. His departure on the brink of half time came after a dominant opening period which saw Maksim Belyaev’s header miss and Alexandru Tudorie hit the side netting.

Just moments after coming on in the 69th minute for Keshla, Cristavao converted a free kick. Although Arsenal Tula have been under a heavy training program of two full sessions a day - including one in the morning before this match - they still dominated proceedings and reversed the result within 11 minutes.

Guram Adzhoev’s shot on 74 minutes was deflected to Kings Kangwa, who shot low into the net to draw Arsenal level. Maksim Volodko’s cross seven minutes later was confidently dispatched by Minaev to give Arsenal the win on club captain Kirill Kombarov’s birthday.

Arsenal Tula 2-1 Keshla FK
22 January, Belek, Turkey
Goals: Kings Kagwa 74’, Minaev 81’; Cristavao 70’

First half: Levashov, Denisov, Belyaev, Grigalava, Alvarez, Panteleev, Causic, Gromyko, Lomovitskiy, Kovalev, Tudorie
Second half: Levashov, Khagush, Dovbnya, Sokol, Volodko, Kings Kangwa, Tkachev, Evans Kangwa, Minaev, Adzhoev