RPL Matchday 11
Fakel Voronezh 2-2 Torpedo Moscow
Sunday 2 October, Central Stadium of Trade Unions, Voronezh

Goals: Fakel – Appaev (41), Bozhin (44); Torpedo – Lebedenko (28), Smolnikov (64)
Sent off: Torpedo – Sapic (83)
Man of the Match: Igor Smolnikov (Torpedo)

Fakel and Torpedo brought their rivalry back in the RPL after three combined seasons in the FNL. Last time both sides met in the top flight clash was 2001, last year before RPL era. Igor Lebedenko, who was Torpedo captain in Voronezh, started his RPL career in 2002, and 20 years later he became the oldest scorer in the league history scoring beautiful volley against Fakel. Lebedenko did not celebrate this one paying respect to Voronezh, where he spent one and half season.

Every goal in this meeting had a big story behind. Khyzyr Appaev made his RPL debut in 2012 as Krylia Sovetov player, and ten years later in his 49th game he finally scored first elite division goal. Then time came for Sergey Bozhin to get his inaugural RPL goal, and curiously he scored it against former team, as he was Torpedo player during 2019-20 season.

Igor Smolnikov came back to the Black-Whites this summer, and his active play in the attack was awarded with equalizer in the second half. 15 years past since the last defender’s goal in the Torpedo shirt, that one was got in the first league. Stefan Sapic, who scored a derby winner against CSKA two weeks ago, could become an antihero following his sent off, but the teams remained tied.

Fakel go to twelfth with nine points moving Lokomotiv with head-to-head win, while Torpedo remain bottom on five points.

Next RPL fixtures: Saturday 8 October – Fakel vs Zenit; Sunday 9 October – Torpedo vs Pari NN