Kerk and Maradishvili stunners save Lokomotiv

Lokomotiv Moscow 2-0 Ufa
Sunday 12 December, RZD Arena

Goals: Lokomotiv - Maradishvili 73’, Kerk 77’
Man of the Match: Konstantin Maradishvili (Lokomotiv)

Lokomotiv avoided the humiliation of extending their losing run to four matches - which would have constituted their longest such streak in RPL history - with a late blast to see off a very stubborn Ufa.

Both goals were sublime in different ways. First some clever play from Nair Tiknizyan inside the last 20 minutes saw a backheel thread through to Fedor Smolov, and although his shot was blocked, the rebound spilled outside the box into space with Konstantin Maradishvili lurking. The defensive midfielder, not normally known for his spectacular goalmouth contributions, unleashed an absolute peach of a first-time rocket that even veteran keeper Aleksandr Belenov had no chance of keeping out.

A determined, weaving run from Dmitry Rychinsky ended with a short cross a foot or two off the ground towards the near post. Gyrano Kerk still had a marker goalside of him Belenov to beat, but his gentle caress of the ball in mid-air was deliciously perfect, deflecting the tough chance past Ufa’s keeper to put the result beyond doubt.

Lokomotiv remain go fifth on 28 points, while Ufa stay 15th on 16 points.

Next RPl fixtures: Saturday/Sunday 26/27 February 2022 - Akhmat vs Ufa; Krasnodar vs Lokomotiv