Bicfalvi and Shatov lift Ural from the bottom four

Ural Ekaterinburg 3-0 Rubin Kazan
Sunday 15 May, Ekaterinburg Arena

Goals: Ural - Bicfalvi (23, 71), Shatov (57)
Man of the Match: Oleg Shatov (Ural)

As one team confirmed its finish in the relegation zone, the battle for the second spot continues with new intensity, and Ural with Rubin are among the participants. Despite losing to Spartak a week earlier Igor Shalimov did not change his starting 11, while Leonid Slutsky started with two strikers in the roster, a couple was made by Vitaly Lisakovich and German Onugkha.

It did not help the visitors to create much, just one shot on target each half. Ural capitalized much better, and they started with their top striker. Oleg Shatov fell down in the box after contacting the defender, but Eric Bicfalvi smashed the ball into the corner with one touch, and he marked new personal best in the RPL scoring ninth goal this season.

Shatov introduced himself again after the break, when he tried to shoot the free kick at an acute angle, and the ball reached the net past Yury Dyupin. The Sverdlovsk Region native scored his first since coming back to Ural from Rubin this winter. Ural did not stop, and Rafal Augustinyak’s long shot found the way to the net. Lately, it was confirmed that Bicfalvi tipped the ball, so the Romanian got the brace and his tenth this season.

Ural go 12th on 30 points, while Rubin drop to 14th on 29 points.

Next RPL fixtures: Saturday 21 May - Rubin Kazan vs Ufa; Arsenal Tula vs Ural Ekaterinburg