RPL Matchday 18
Akhmat Grozny 3-1 FC Orenburg
Saturday 4 March, Akhmat Arena, Grozny

Goals: Akhmat – Kharin (11), Berisha (pen 45+3), Timofeev (90+4); Orenburg – Vorobyev (45+6)
Sent off: Orenburg – Sivakov (45+2)
Man of the Match: Evgeny Kharin (Akhmat)

Akhmat Arena hosted first match this year, as two neighbors met with one point between them. Early corner kick helped the hosts to take the lead, Evgeny Kharin was lucky to finish from Anton Shvets header pass. Second goal came from the penalty for the foul from Mikhail Sivakov on Lechi Sadulaev, and it was second yellow card for Belarussian. Bernard Berisha doubled the advantage, but ten-man guests cut it quickly, Dmitry Vorobyev realized the moment in keeper’s area. Akhmat had been keeping the lead through the whole second half, and in the final minutes Artem Timofeev restore two-goal advantage, he also became second top scorer of Akhmat with five goals this season.

Akhmat tie on 29 points with Dynamo and CSKA, who will play their matches on Sunday, while Orenburg stay seventh with 25 points.

Next RPL fixtures: Friday 10 March Sochi vs Orenburg; Saturday 11 March – Akhmat vs Lokomotiv