Arsenal maintain unbeaten run as two Pribram players sent off in feisty draw

Arsenal Tula drew their third friendly in a row as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Czech side FK Pribram on Tuesday. Aleksandr Lomovitskiy gave them the lead after 37 minutes, which they held until 17 minutes to go.

Lomovitskiy was at the forefront of a dominant Arsenal performance that in reality should have yielded more than just one goal for Igor Cherevchenko’s men. He fed Sergey Tkachev 12 minutes in, but the latter’s low shot flew wide.

The former Spartak Moscow winger then had a shot himself that was blocked, before his cross was headed over by Evgeniy Lutsenko. With less than 10 minutes till half time Lomovitskiy was finally rewarded for his performance by tucking in after Lutsenko had challenged the keeper.

Five minutes later Mihailo Cmiljanovic was shown a straight red card, while his teammate Karel Soldat received a second yellow card on 58 minutes. Both players were replaced as per friendly agreements.

Cherevchenko made wholesale changes on the hour mark, and the momentum changed in Pribram’s favour. On 73 minutes Martin Novy earned a share of the spoils with a bottom-corner finish.

Roman Minaev was one of the substitutes to be brought on with half an hour to go. The former Avangard Kursk forward had been on trial on the club’s first training camp - scoring against Azerbaijani side Keshli - and has now signed a permanent 2.5-year deal.

Arsenal 1-1 FK Pribram
4 February, Lara, Turkey
Goals: Lomovitskiy 37’; Novy 73’

Arsenal first half: Nigmatullin, Kombarov, Grigalava, Bauer, Belyaev, Lomovitskiy (Lesovoy 50’), E. Kangwa, Kostadinov, Causic, Tkachev, Lutsenko
Arsenal 60 mins: Nigmatullin, Khagush, Sokol, Denisov, Kovalev, Panteleev, K. Kangwa, Gromyko, Lesovoy, Adzhoev, Minaev