Mystery was easily solved. About how Rubin eliminated its ‘favourite client’

Dynamo used to be one of the most convenient rivals of Rubin. Many things have happened since that time. Having turned into a thorny path of renewal and rejuvenation of the squad, the Kazan players left the group of top clubs (to be more precisely, the group of candidates for this title). Dynamo turned out in an unsightly orbit of its development almost after Rubin. Already in this season, the squad of the Moscovites is represented by the rest of the former luxury (Denisov, Ionov, Gubochan, Yeschenko) and unheard-of offspring. The White-blues suffered a fatal for the club failure of European fair play, after which Dynamo ceded its place in European Cup to Rubin not on a sports principle.

Already in this season, the squad of the Moscovites is represented by the rest of the former luxury. Photo: fcdynamo.ru

Claims against Kobelev are clear

Looking at the squad of Dynamo before the game in Kazan, it becomes clear why the fans of the White-blues have serious claims against the head coach Andrey Kobelev. Yes, the team has many inexperienced young players. However, it has players of such a high level, which has not appeared in Rubin since Berdyev's removal. They are Gubochan, Ionov, Yeschenko and finally Denisov. But the main 'bull terrier' of Russian football was not on the pitch on 9 March. A day before the match it was known that Igor continued his personal fight against the flu.

Finally a revolution took place in the squad of Rubin, which was asked by both us, journalists, and the fans of the club. No, Bilyaltedinov junior did not step the grass. It would be a radical change for the head coach of Rubin. At the conference after the match, the head coach of the Kazan players answered the corresponding question not without annoyance.

After the victory, Chaly was disappointed at the press conference

Akhmetov? He is a young football player, he was given a chance. It was planned to field Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, but a chance was given to the young player,' Chaly had the misfortune to mention the latter.

Do you see Bilyaletdinov in the squad? Why is not he playing?

All players are on equal terms. Those who are stronger play.

Why is he worse than the others?

Because we define it so. Diniyar is not playing because other players are playing.

There was a badly hidden irritation in the last bar of the dialogue in Valery Chaly's words.

The emotions of the Kazan players' mentor are understandable. It seems that such questions made the sensitive specialist sad after the confident win. It is possible that there would not have been such questions if the Kazan club had shown any signs of stability. And if it had not defeated yesterday the weakest team of the championship at the moment.

Well, enough of sad things. Instead, Karadeniz and Kislyak appeared on the pitch from the first minutes. I personally thought that Kanunnikov should have been given a rest. However, Denis Tkachuk was who was not in the line-up. Very Maksim together with Karadeniz simply shamed my thoughts. In his debut in the game, Caktaš scrambled on the wing and played an accurate pass that was amazingly ended with Karadeniz's backheel. Indubitably, the coaching staff of Rubin should have fielded him earlier. And the results before the match would be better.

A flash in Rubin's attack

Having scored a goal, it seemed that the Kazan players willingly switched to the defence, which did not look impenetrable during the game. So, Bećiraj made a corner kick in the 13^th minute. But the kick was not powerful enough. Everything was good for the guests, but the kick was not powerful enough. Rubin doubled the score in the return attack. It was Kanunnikov who did not stop and after an assist turned on his surname on the scoreboard as the author of the goal. Kuzmin scrambled on the wing and shot along the goals, the defenders of Dynamo unskillfully gave the ball to running Kanunnikov. Maksim's kick was accurate – 2:0.

After the assist, Kanunnikov turned on his surname on the scoreboard as the author of the goal. Photo: Roman Khasaev

A joyful game went on. Bergström blocked Bećiraj in penalty area, and Ionov reduced the margin. However, Portnyagin met Kanunnikov's cross – 3:1. It seems that halfback Mijo Caktaš's words before the game about a low fighting spirit of Dynamo players was prescient.

'In the previous match with Lokomotiv we had an offensive defeat. If you don't score, you are scored. We did not use our moment and got a goal,' told Mijo Caktaš to the official site of the club. 'We should forget the previous game and think about the next one. The match with Dynamo is very important. Dynamo lost in the previous stage 1:4. This is why their fighting spirit is not high. We need to recover in front of our fans and will do everything to win.'

Sergei Kislyak, who excitedly played this game, on the contrary, announced a high spirit of the Stones for the match. According to the halfback, it is a game of two rivals for a calm co-existence in the centre of the ranking.

'We are in an uneasy situation, not in a position we deserve. Now we are close to Dynamo and have equal points. For this reason, tomorrow's match can be called as a game of rivals – everyone wants to win and go ahead. So, there will be a tough game we were hardly preparing for. We will try to achieve a positive result. Moreover, we play at such a wonderful stadium as Kazan-Arena. I would like to thank our fans demonstrating a good game.'

Finally Ilgiz Akhmetov appeared on the pitch. Photo: rubin-kazan.ru

Took a breath! Positional changes

A good game continued after the break. Kuzmin showed a perspective shot from the penalty area in the 48^th minute, but the ball did not reach Shunin. Chaly's substitutions started in the 60^th minute. It became anxious. However, the first substitution was logical. Karadeniz, who was not ready to play all 90 minutes, did his work and went to rest. His was substituted with Tkachuk who dangerously kicked from the corner of the penalty area but did not reach the goal mouth. Another hero left the field in 4 minutes. Portnyagin was substituted by Marko Dević. All substitutions were positional, we took a breath. Dević did his work and was conceded a penalty kick and did it well.

Moreover, Ilgiz Akhmetov appeared on the pitch. He substituted barely visible Caktaš in the 72^nd minute. To tell the truth, Dynamo disappointed us in this half too much so that it looked like the weakest team in the Russian Football Premier League in this part of the championship. Rubin Kazan should not flatter itself, in spite of the fact that the team demonstrated quite a nice football. Dynamo is being defeated by everybody now and on a large scale.

After the match, the head coach of the guests Andrey Kobelev stated that he was ready to resign but urged the fans of the capital club to be patient. 'While signing a contract, a coach is always thinking about his resignation. If the team did not put all efforts, stood and cared in the least, it is one thing. But these guys are doing their best. One thing is to blame for a defeat, another is to blame for an unwillingness to play. These are different things. Naturally, I don't exculpate myself.'

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  Valery Chaly head coach of Rubin FC

  It is an important game for us concerning both the ranking and psychology. Dynamo is close to us, they are our rivals. And the bottom of the ranking is not far from us. We wanted to show a beautiful football after the match in Moscow. Thanks to the guys for showing their character. The field is difficult, every technical movement was accompanied by sand. We endured 90 minutes, and it was not easy. Thanks to the fans who supported us in the game, made the players demonstrate their endurance and stamina.

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  Andrey Kobelev head coach of Dynamo FC

  Rubin deserved this victory. They played during 90 minutes, not 10, not 20, not 45. Having scored two goals at the beginning, the rival had a reserve. We tried to come back but lost a soft goal. All three balls reached our goals in the first half from the wing, though we had paid our attention that Rubin scored many goals from wing assists. In the second half, we rearranged, there were moments, but there were inaccuracies, we could not score. This is why the score looks the following way.