Rubin Kazan 0-1 Krylia Sovetov Samara
Sunday 8 March, Centralniy Stadium
Goal: Popovic (42’)
Man of the Match: Denis Popovic
Sent off: Kvicha Kvaratskhelia (45’); Anton Zinkovskiy (80’)

Leonid Slutskiy’s home debut as Rubin Kazan manager didn’t go according to plan as Denis Popovic bagged a first-half winner for Krylia Sovetov Samara. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Anton Zinkovskiy were sent off for their respective sides as Rubin failed to score for the second Russian Premier Liga game in a row.

Three minutes before half time Popovic calmly lifted the ball over Yuriy Dyupin from Dejan Radonjic’s long ball towards the penalty area. A few minutes later Kvaratskhelia was shown a second yellow for a rash challenge to send Krylia Sovetov into the break in control.

Pablo Santos was fortunate to escape censure for a handball midway through the first half but was on the other end of fortune when VAR denied him a first goal for Rubin. VAR pulled back his bullet header when it was used to adjudge Kvaratskhelia to have been offside as the cross came in.

Yuriy Dyupin’s reactions denied Popovic and Maxim Glushenkov in quick succession with 20 minutes to go. Rubin’s keeper tipped the latter’s shot onto the post before turning Popovic’s shot from the rebound wide at close range.

Ten minutes later the numbers on the pitch were levelled when Zinkovskiy was given his marching orders.

In the closing five minutes Nikita Makarov was unable to snatch a point with a 30-yard slighter or a tame shot on the turn.

Rubin Kazan and Krylia Sovetov Samara will both be on the road next matchday. Rubin take on Arsenal Tula on Saturday 14 March, while Krylia Sovetov face FC Tambov on Monday 16 March.

Rubin Kazan: Dyupin, Danchenko, Starfeldt, Pablo Santos (Abildgaard 85’), Zuev, Podberezkin, Konovalov, Kvaratskhelia, Jevtic (Makarov 59’), Davitashvili, Ignatyev
Krylia Sovetov Samara: Frolov, Anyukov, Karpov, Chernov, Zeffane, Timofeev, Anton, Kabutov (Glushenkov 56’), Popovic (Kombarov 90’), Zinkovskiy, Radonjic