Rostov's Kirichenko Lauds Relegation Escape

© RIA Novosti . Anton Denisov / Go to the mediabankDmitry Kirichenko
Dmitry Kirichenko - Sputnik International
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FC Rostov striker Dmitry Kirichenko has lauded his club's escape from relegation, saying he can not imagine the southern city without top-flight football.

FC Rostov striker Dmitry Kirichenko has lauded his club's escape from relegation, saying he can not imagine the southern city without top-flight football.

Rostov staved off the drop from the Russian Premier League by beating second-tier side Shinnik Yaroslavl 4-0 on aggregate over two legs in their promotion-relegation playoff.

"Rostov is a city that lives for football, it's unthinkable without football," said the 35-year-old Kirichenko, who scored the second goal in the 3-0 first-leg win.

"Here there are fantastic fans who have supported us through the entire season. Going into the playoffs, we knew we couldn't lose, that we had to put our all into it."

Rostov have been relegated from the top flight twice in the last 20 years, in 1994 and 2008, and in both cases won promotion back to the Premier League immediately.

"No one would dare leave Rostov without football," he said.

But Rostov is struggling financially, with significant wage arrears to the players, Kirichenko said.

"There are debts, but I don't doubt that we will be paid everything in any case. Nowadays there are problems at every club, we're no exception."

Kirichenko made his name a decade ago at CSKA Moscow, where he hit 29 goals in 75 games, earning 12 national team caps.

His second-minute goal in a 2-1 win over eventual winners Greece at Euro 2004 is the quickest strike at the championships to date.

 

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