RPL Matchday 3
Fakel Voronezh 3-3 Dynamo Moscow
Saturday 30 July, Central Stadium, Voronezh

Goals: Fakel - Gongadze (46), Akbashev (48), Alshin (86); Dynamo - Smolov (pen 26, 44), Cherov (OG 49)
Sent off: Dynamo - Zakharyan (90+3)
Man of the Match: Roman Akbashev (Fakel)

RPL newcomers from Voronezh started the season with two away games, and in Matchday 3 the time came for the first home match at Central Stadium. About 20k spectators entered the stadium to see the battle against last season bronze medalist and Russian Cup finalist. Slavisa Jokanovic was forced to put new signing Roberto Fernandez in the starting 11 due to lack of central defenders.

Visitors had struggles in the first minutes, Anton Shunin stopped Roman Akbashev from opening the score with saving the ball from the bottom corner. Fakel were better on ball possession, but they got unlucky, when Oleg Dmitriev lost the ball in his box and fouled on Daniil Fomin. This injury put Dynamo captain out of taking penalty and resuming the game later, so Fedor Smolov scored the penalty firstly, took the armband secondly, and made masterpiece thirdly scoring from the distance. That marked two braces in two matches for striker.

Fakel came back in the game immediately after the half-time. Georgy Gongadze joined the team as a substitute and found his chance after the corner kick. He assisted in the next attack, and it let Roman Akbashev to equalize and make the stadium crazy. It became calm just minute later, when Luka Gagnidze’s cross to the box was tipped into own net by Vasily Cherov. Hosts did not allow the game to finish like this, and in the final minutes of the regular time Ilnur Alshin got the rebound from Dynamo defense and tied again. Dynamo lost not only the first road victory, but also Arsen Zakharyan, as the young star was sent off with second yellow card.

Next RPL fixtures: Saturday 6 August - CSKA Moscow vs Fakel; Sunday 7 August - Krylia Sovetov vs Dynamo