Ilyin rescues point for Krasnodar in thrilling six-goal rollercoaster

Khimki 3-3 Krasnodar
Saturday 27 November, Arena Khimki

Goals: Khimki - Nabiullin 53', Glushakov 57', Dolgov 71'; Krasnodar - Claesson 7', Cabella 67', Ilyin 80'
Man of the Match: Remy Cabella (Krasnodar) 

It took all of seven minutes for Krasnodar to assert control over proceedings as Viktor Claesson finished off a rapid team counterattack. 

Jhon Córdoba was central to the whole move as his strength held off a defender on the halfway line, allowing Aleksey Ionov to race clear down the left. Suddenly Krasnodar had a three-on-two open up as Ionov had time to pick out Córdoba in the middle of the area. The Colombian forward turned, off balance, but still managed to turn it on towards Claesson, who had a simple task to side foot home. 

There was a golden chance for the visitors to make it 2-0 when Elmir Nabiullin caught Grzegorz Krychowiak from behind, and a penalty was given. Krychowiak himself stepped up, but Ilya Lantratov dived low to his right to keep it out. 

By that stage Córdoba had been forced to go off with a muscle twinge, prompting the early introduction of Vladimir Ilyin. The former Ural striker would have a vital say in the outcome later on. 

From almost zero to hero, Nabiullin came up trumps at the other end in surprise fashion shortly after half time. Ilya Kukharchuk swung a deep cross in towards the back post where the left back ghosted in unnoticed to head home the equaliser unmarked. 

Denis Glushakov completed the turnaround before the hour mark as Krasnodar's scrambled defence was caught at sixes and sevens, leaving him time to pick his spot and curl home his seventh goal of the season. 

The pendulum swung midway through the second period after some wonderful interplay between Remy Cabella and Vladimir Ilyin. Aleksandr Chernikov battled to shield possession to allow Cabella to push forwards. The Frenchman let the ball run through to Ilyin, whose first-time touch played in Cabella to curl in a well taken leveller. 

And back it swung again. Barely four minutes after Cabella's equaliser, Aleksandr Dolgov was inexplicably left completely free to head home Kemal Ademi's flick on from a corner. 

Game over? Not a bit of it. Cabella was once again central, cutting in from the left to curl an inswinging cross, which Ilyin met with a powerful header over Lantratov for yet another equaliser. 

Khimki go 14th on 14 points, while Krasnodar remain fifth on 25 points.

Next RPL fixtures: Sunday 5 December - Khimki vs Arsenal; Sochi vs Krasnodar