RPL Matchday 24
FC Khimki 4-2 Torpedo Moscow
Saturday 22 April, Arena Khimki

Goals: Khimki – Magomedov (34), Mirzov (pen 59), Khubulov (64), Glavcic (66); Torpedo – Andre Felipe (pen 45), Stefanovich (52)
Man of the Match: Aleksandr Rudenko (Khimki)

Andrey Talalaev avoid suspension after receiving red card in the previous Khimki match against Krylia Sovetov, so he joined the coaching staff in first home game after comeback to Red-Blacks and faced native Torpedo side, which he left in the end of March. Butta Magomedov gave captain armband to Ayaz Guliev, but stayed as penalty taker, and as his shot was saved by Egor Baburin, he was successful on the rebound. Torpedo also used their chance from penalty spot, and Andre Felipe got first goal in RPL career.

Second half was full of substitutes heroics. Ilya Stefanovich gave the lead to Black-Whites, and his three goals are the best result in Torpedo so far this season. But Talalaev moves worked better; in seven minutes Reziuan Mirzov, Vladimir Khubulov and Nemanja Glavcic turned the score from 1-2 to 4-2, and Khimki finished with first win since November. Curiously, in the first part of the season Khimki also won against Torpedo with lucky substitute, in August Aleksandr Dolgov scored winning brace coming from the bench.

Both teams stay bottom in the relegation zone, but Khimki made four-point gap over Torpedo. Khimki are 15th with 17 points, while Torpedo still 16th on 13 points.

Next RPL fixtures: Sunday 30 April – Sochi vs Torpedo, Lokomotiv vs Khimki