Krasnodar academy products inspire third consecutive win

Ilya Vorotnikov, Danil Utkin and Sergey Borodin all scored to hand Krasnodar a 3-1 win over Malmo on Sunday. All three have come through the club’s renowned academy system, and it extends the perfect record for Murad Musaev’s side so far this winter.

Vorotnikov swung a stunning finish into the far corner from outside the area just after the hour mark, a few minutes before Danil Utkin stabbed home from close range. Sergey Borodin was in the right place at the right time to slide in a rebound from Marcus Berg’s shot late on before Malmo’s consolation.

The teams had agreed to play a two-hour match, with both sides swapping their entire lineups after an hour. Nikita Sergeev headed a deep cross over the bar in the game’s first chance, and moments later won back possession after pressuring the opposition.

His driving run made space for Ari outside him, but the Brazilian-born forward’s shot was blocked. After a misplaced shot from a Malmo forward, Sergeev’s aggressive pressure again almost paid off later in the first half as he harried defenders.

With almost all momentum with Krasnodar, Sergeev then swung a left-footed shot inches wide from Kristoffer Olsson’s pass into the box. When the entire lineups were changed on the hour mark, however, the scores were still level.

Less than 10 minutes later Vorotnikov broke the deadlock with the best goal of the game. It didn’t take long for Krasnodar to double the lead after Borodin won his header at a corner, glancing it to Utkin to poke in from a yard out.

Aleks Matsukatov has seen a wonderful bit of footwork go unrewarded just before. Stanislav Kritsyuk was marginally unsighted as Erdal Rakip curled in a consolation from outside the box with four minutes to go.

Krasnodar have a double-header on Friday 7 February, against Viktoria Plzen and Mjondalen.

Krasnodar 3-1 Malmo
2 February, Marbella, Spain
Goals: Vorotnikov 68’, Utkin 72’, Borodin 102’; Rakip 116’

Krasnodar first hour: Safonov, Petrov, Martynovich, Fjolusson, Ramirez, Vilhenna, Olsson, Fernandes, Sergeev, Suleymanov, Ari
Krasnodar second hour: Kritsyuk, Ivashin, Borodin, Martynov, Botsko, Chernikov, Vorotnikov, Utkin, Matsukatov, Kutuvoy, Berg