Rostov 5-1 Rubin Kazan
Sunday 7 November, Rostov Arena

Goals: Rostov - Bayramyan 42’, Poloz 50’, Almqvist 55’, Sowe 65’, Glebov 83’; Rubin - Bakaev 35’
Man of the Match: Khoren Bayramyan (Rostov)

Rostov responded in the most emphatic manner possible to falling behind as they romped to a five-star comeback win over Rubin.

Soltmurad Bakaev’s deflected opener was cancelled out a few minutes later, but it was just reward for a performance at least equal to their hosts up to that point. 

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia met a dead end, but the half-cleared ball found its way to In-beom Hwang, who fed Bakaev on the right. The winger’s shot slightly caught Nikolay Poyarkov’s leg and bent inside the far post. 

There was less fortune about the equaliser though. Ali Sowe chased what seemed like a lost cause by the corner flag, and found Denis Terentyev at the second attempt. His cross looked to be heading for Dmitry Poloz only for a clever dummy to leave it to run on into Khoren Bayramyan’s path to sweep into the far corner.

Rostov then took the lead in farcical circumstances. Trying to play a goal kick out from the back, Oliver Abildgaard - playing out of position at centre-back - threw away a sloppy pass from his own six-yard box, before a blocked shot left Dmitry Poloz with a simple tap-in against his former club.

Bayramyan then carved open the Rubin defence with a sumptuous pass between Montassar Talbi and Georgi Zotov that Pontus Almqvist only had to stroke first-time into the far bottom corner. They should have made it four just after the hour mark when Poloz flicked on Terentyev’s cross to an unmarked Sowe just six yards out, but the Gambian striker’s lunged diving header somehow aimed wide of the post.

He made amends shortly after though by being most alert to a loose ball in Rubin’s defence. Danil Glebov stole in to rob a slack Hwang of possession, and when the ball spilt to Sowe, this time he made no mistake by steering a fine finish past Ilya Dyupin.

Rubin didn’t sit back, but the manner of their missed opportunities told the story of their performance. Kvaratskhelia twice teed up Bakaev, the first a golden chance on a breakaway, but both times a slight lapse in concentration cost the winger a clear sight of goal, while German Onugkha was thwarted at the last second by Bastos after Bakaev’s cutback with the goal at his mercy.

Rostov completed the rout in the last 10 minutes through newfound goalscoring hero Glebov finished with the confidence of a man who’d quadrupled his entire top-flight goal tally this season. Kirill Folmer raced half the length of the pitch unopposed before squaring to Komlichenko, who let it run to Danila Sukhomlinov. The young substitute’s first-time sidefoot shot smacked against the bar to an onrushing Glebov the chest it down and steer it home.

Rostov move up to 10th on 16 points, while Rubin remain eighth on 19 points.

Next RPL fixtures: Sunday 21 November - Rostov vs Ufa; Sochi vs Rubin