FC Tambov 1-2 Akhmat Grozny
Tuesday 7 July, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Goals: Tambov - Melkadze (pen 34’); Akhmat - Ismael (pen 20’), Vizeu (73’)
Man of the Match: Evgeny Kharin (Akhmat)
Brazilian forward Felipe Vizeu scored his first RPL goal for Akhmat Grozny to seal a 2-1 win over Tambov after Ismael Silva and Georgi Melkadze had exchanged first-half penalties. The win lifted Igor Shalimov’s side above Tambov and six points clear of the relegation zone.
After a VAR review 20 minutes in, Aleksey Gritsaenko was adjudged to have brought down Evgeny Kharin. Ismael slid the spot kick under Giorgi Shelia down low, even though the Tambov keeper got a hand to it.
Just over 10 minutes later though Georgi Melkadze won the hosts a penalty of their own when Miroslav Bogosavac tripped him just inside the Akhmat area. Melkadze stepped up himself to score his seventh goal of the season, and in doing so draw level with Vladimir Obukhov as FC Tambov’s top goalscorer.
On the stroke of half time Denis Glushakov scuffed a glorious chance wide after latching onto a through ball eight yards out. He was let off the hook by Vizeu with less than 20 minutes to go when the Brazilian slid home Bogosavac’s left-wing cross.
FC Tambov are away to Arsenal Tula next on Saturday 11 July, while Akhmat Grozny are at home to newly-confirmed champions Zenit St. Petersburg on the same day.
FC Tambov: Shelia, Yurganov, Gritsaenko, Takazov, Rybin (Kabakhidze 63’), Karasev (Fedchuk 78’), Tetrashvili, Shlyakov, Kilin (Kalmykov 78’), Kaplienko (Filin 68’), Melkadze
Akhmat Grozny: Gorodov, Nenakhov, Sememov, Nizic, Bogosavac, Shvets, Ismael, Glushakov, Ivanov, Kharin, Vizeu (Ilyin 74’)