Burmistrov volley earns Sochi draw away to Akhmat

Akhmat Grozny 1-1 FC Sochi
Friday 26 June, Akhmat Arena

Goals: Glushakov (34’); Burmistrov (45+1’)
Man of the Match: Denis Glushakov

Denis Glushakov’s clever finish helped Akhmat Grozny break FC Sochi’s four-match winning streak and edge Igor Shalimov’s side a step further from relegation. His side had to settle for a point though as Nikita Burmistrov’s long-range volley cancelled out his opener in first-half stoppage time.

Glushakov was instrumental in much of Akhmat’s early pressure and was rewarded 10 minutes before the break. Bernard Berisha picked out the former Spartak Moscow captain about eight yards out, and with a delightful body feint Glushakov sent Ivan Novoseltsev sprawling before finishing high past Soslan Dzhanaev.

Andrey Mostovoy was FC Sochi’s main threat, setting up last weekend’s hat-trick hero Aleksandr Kokorin for an acrobatic hooked effort midway through the opening period. In the closing moments before half time his cross was headed high out of the penalty area to Burmistrov to lash a volleyed equaliser through a crowd of players.

The first-half chances produced by Bernard Berisha’s typically direct running and Mostovoy’s pace were lacking after half time as both sides settled for a single point.

Akhmat Grozny are away to Arsenal Tula next on Wednesday 1 July, while FC Sochi host Dynamo Moscow later the same evening.

Akhmat Grozny: Gorodov, Nenakhov, Semenov, Nizic, Bogosavac, Ismael Silva, Glushakov, Roshi, Ivanov, Berisha (Kharin 90+1), Ponce (Mbengue 87’)

FC Sochi: Dzhanaev, Novoseltsev, Miladinovic, Mevlja, Zaika, Margasov, Tsallagov, Burmistrov, Mostovoy, Kokorin, Zabalotniy (Karapetyan 82’)