RPL winter training camps: CSKA's 2nd victory over Danish opposition, Rubin draw with Khimki

On 5 February, six RPL teams held friendly matches at their winter training camps in preparation for the second part of the 2021/22 season.

Arsenal 1-2 Esbjerg

Tula lost to Esbjerg - currently eighth in the Danish championship - in the first of two Saturday matches. Arsenal conceded both goals by the 23rd minute, and Kirill Panchenko scored at the end of the second half for Miodrag Bozovic's team.

Arsenal 0-0 Borac

Arsenal's second opponents were Borac, which are third in the Bosnian Premier League, but neither team scored. In five friendly matches, Arsenal have not won a single game, with three draws and two defeats. They have now completed their second Turkish training camp - the third will last from 9 to 27 February.

Rubin 0-0 Khimki

The RPL’s 10th and 16th placed sides ended in a goalless draw. Rubin drew for the third friendly match in a row, having previously met Fakel (4-4) and Vistula Plock (0-0) - while for Khimki it was the second draw in four friendlies after a 1-1 draw with Banik. The teams will hold the following meetings on 8 February: Rubin will meet with Dinamo Batumi, and Khimki will play against Kairat.

Spartak 1-1 Johor

The Red-Whites earned a third consecutive friendly draw in the UAE after meetings with Slovan Bratislava (2-2) and Riga (0-0), as Paolo Vanoli's team drew with Johor, the eight-time champions of Malaysia. Spartak conceded first in the 21st minute, and in the 70th Aleksandr Sobolev scored an equaliser. On 8 February, Spartak will play Ural in the Emirates.

CSKA 1-0 Nordsjaelland

CSKA faced their second Danish opponents in Campoamor, and followed up a 3-2 victory over Viborg with a narrow win over Nordsjaelland, who are 10th in the Danish championship this season. Kirill Nababkin scored the winner in the 56th minute. Aleksey Berezutsky's team will have another friendly against an opponent from Denmark: on 9 February, they meet Lyngby.

Ufa 1-2 Liepaja

Ufa lost their second match at the second Turkish training camp to Liepaja, the third-placed side of the Latvian Championship in 2021. Filip Mrzlyak scored the only goal against the Latvian team. On 10 February, Ufa will finish their training camp with a match against Pakhtakor.

The schedule of training camps and test matches during the winter break is in the "Winter Camps" section

Photo: Dzhalil Gubaidullin / Rubin