Two Kirill Zaika assists rescue draw for Sochi

Sochi’s fourth winter training match ended in a fourth consecutive draw as Elmir Nabiullin and Ibragim Tsallagov completed a two-goal comeback against Spartak Trnava. They were the first two goals of Sochi’s training match schedule.

Trnava took the lead after 10 minutes through an ambitious volley from outside the box. Sochi fell further behind from a simple header after half an hour.

Six minutes later Nabiullin sparked an attack with a powerful run and managed to get on the end of Zaika’s final cross to pull a goal back. With improved tempo to their play Sochi took control, and after half time Karapetyan’s free header from Zaika’s right flank cross was somehow clawed out.

Tsallagov made no mistake with his own header from yet another deep Zaika ball into the area on 57 minutes to draw Sochi level at 2-2. Shortly after Vladimir Fedotov made nine substitutions and the match petered out.

Sochi will face Brazilian side Gremio Novorizontino’s under-21 team next on Tuesday 4 February.

Sochi 2-2 Spartak Trnava
1 February. Belek, Turkey
Sochi goals: Nabiullin 36’, Tsallagov 57’

Sochi: N. Zabalotniy, Novoseltsev (Miladinovic 60’), Lagator (Shakuro 60’), Mevlja (Kalugin 46’), Zaika (Korkin 60’), Noboa (Bakhtiyarov 60’), Tsallagov (Koldunov 60’), Nabiullin (Pomerko 60’), Poloz (Bokovoy 60’), Burmistrov (A. Zabalotniy 60’), Karapetyan (Mostovoy 60’)