Arsenal Tula 2-4 Krylia Sovetov Samara
Tuesday 7 July, Arsenal Stadium
Goals: Arsenal - Denisov (8’), Lutsenko (79’); Krylia - Lystsov (38’), Popovic (57’), Glushenkov (63’), Radonjic (69’)
Man of the Match: Denis Popovic (Krylia Sovetov Samara)
Evgeniy Lutsenko’s 14th goal of the season was no more than a consolation as a 12-minute second-half burst saw Denis Popovic, Maksim Glushenkov and Dejan Radonjic put Krylia firmly in control. Aleksandr Denisov’s early opener was cancelled out by an Vitaly Lystsov equaliser before the second-half comeback blew Arsenal away.
It didn’t take Arsenal long to break the deadlock. Denisov hit a loose ball past Evgeny Frolov from 12 yards out after Maksim Belyaev and Georgi Kostadinov had seen half chances blocked from an inswinging free kick.
Krylia drew level shortly before half time when Lystsov glanced home Popovic’s firm inswing cross. Arsenal almost struck back immediately when Lutsenko headed against the bar.
Popovic’s pin-point free kick curled onto the inside of Egor Shamov’s right-hand post to give Krylia the lead before the hour mark. Just over five minutes later Glushenkov steered home a first-time finish from Anton Zinkovsky’s brilliant run and through ball.
Although Lutsenko later powered a headed consolation from Evans Kangwa’s cross - his fifth goal in five games - Radonjic completed the rout with 20 minutes remaining when Georgi Kostadinov left the Croatian striker completely unmarked to head home a Popovic corner.
Arsenal Tula host struggling FC Tambov next on Saturday 11 July, while Krylia Sovetov Samara travel to face Dynamo Moscow away on Sunday 12 July.
Arsenal Tula: Shamov, Denisov, Belyaev, Dovbnya, Khlusevich, Kostadinov (K. Kangwa 75’), Gorbatenko (Pantaleev 87’), Lomovitsky, Tkachev (Causic 46’), Lesovoy (E. Kangwa 75’), Lutsenko
Krylia Sovetov Samara: Frolov, Chernov, Lystsov, Gatcan, Kombarov, Chicherin, Timofeev, Kabutov (Molchanov 84’), Popovic (Anton 90’), Zinkovsky (Tyurin 84’), Glushenkov (Radonjic 63’)