Russian Cup: Top Teams Struggle in Last 16

© RIA Novosti . Alexander Vilf / Go to the mediabankRussian Cup: Top Teams Struggle in Last 16
Russian Cup: Top Teams Struggle in Last 16         - Sputnik International
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Russian football’s biggest teams struggled against unheralded opposition in the last 16 of the Russian Cup this week and there were embarrassing early exits for Spartak and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Russian football’s biggest teams struggled against unheralded opposition in the last 16 of the Russian Cup this week and there were embarrassing early exits for Spartak and Lokomotiv Moscow.

The pick of the quarterfinals pits title challengers Anzhi Makhachkala against struggling Dynamo Moscow in a repeat of a bad-tempered cup clash last season that saw ten bookings before Dynamo ran out 1-0 winners after extra time.

Both came close to elimination in the last 16 on Wednesday, each recovering from a goal down to win 2-1 thanks to young strikers.

Dynamo’s winning goal against second-tier side FC Khimki came from 18-year-old Andrei Panyukov, while Anzhi drew on new signings Nikita Burmistrov, 23, and Serder Serderov, 18, who scored their debut goals.

“It was a hard match but good for us,” Anzhi coach Guus Hiddink said, adding that he wanted to crack down on sloppy play, even from some of the fringe players on the pitch.

“I’m satisfied with the victory and contribution of the young player to the final result, but in the way of positive criticism, we made inexcusable mistakes today.”

By the time the quarterfinals are played in April, Dynamo are likely to have recalled on-loan forward Fyodor Smolov from Anzhi, putting Burmistrov under pressure to force his way into Hiddink’s first-team plans.

Anzhi midfielder Oleg Shatov went off injured, but Hiddink said it was nothing serious.

Expectations of a Moscow derby in the quarterfinals between Spartak and Lokomotiv were dashed as both crashed out, Spartak losing on penalties to FC Rostov after a goalless draw, while Lokomotiv went down 3-1 to Terek Grozny after extra time.

Slaven Bilic’s Lokomotiv became the latest victims of Terek’s prolific striker Ailton, whose two goals took his tally to five in eight games since signing from APOEL Nicosia, where he took the Cypriots into the knockout stages of the Champions League.

“That’s what we signed him for, he really lives up to his status,” Terek coach Stanislav Cherchesov said on the team website.

League champions Zenit cruised past Mordovia Saransk 2-0 on Tuesday and continue their quest for a third Russian Cup against FC Kuban, who ousted local rivals FC Krasnodar 1-0 in a derby clash.

The other quarterfinal pits league leaders CSKA Moscow against the only second-tier side left in the competition, Yenisei Krasnoyarsk.

CSKA beat regional league outfit FC Tyumen 3-0 after a slow start that annoyed coach Leonid Slutsky, while Yenisei surprised second-tier promotion challengers SKA-Energia Khabarovsk after earlier eliminating holders Rubin Kazan in the previous round.

Injuries to defender Mario Fernandes and midfielder Alan Dzagoev worried Slutsky, but CSKA’s doctor told R-Sport on Thursday that he expected to see the pair back in training Friday.

 

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