CSKA and Spartak received three red cards between them.
What should happen in a match that takes place under the banner of “Derby of All Rus’”? Emotions, a bright attacking game with an abundance of dangerous moments, exposed nerves and… a fight. Yes, yes, like at a rural wedding, where this is a traditional ritual.
In the 14th round of the RPL, CSKA hosted Spartak and in the 55th minute of a seemingly calm and leisurely game, passions suddenly flared up, which reminded that the capital’s clubs were playing the main match not only of the tour, but of the entire fall.
Two friends in the camp of fierce enemies. Serbian track in the All Rus’ Derby
From the very beginning of the match, the army team did not have any advantage; they did not at all resemble the prickly hosts, but seemed to pay more tribute to the star status of the Serbian coach of the red and white Dejan Stankovic. These were the thoughts that came to mind in the first half, which did not at all resemble a good football carnage with torn off legs and uncompromising struggle.
Photo source: RIA Novosti
It seemed that fans of two popular Moscow teams would once again be faced with a sad spectacle that had emerged in the spring part of last season. Then the Spartak team was led by another Serbian specialist, Vladimir Sliskovich, who preferred not to take risks. The army team didn’t push it either, so the teams by default spent the whole match playing outright, agreeing to split the points.
What could have stirred up the situation? Of course, a goal scored by one of the teams. And it happened right at the end of the first half, when Theo Bongonda, without encountering much resistance from the CSKA defense, passed like a knife through butter along the hosts’ penalty area and smacked his heart out right into the corner of Igor Akinfeev’s goal. The legendary army man was powerless in this episode.
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The second half lasted quietly for only 10 minutes. Argentinean Barco was literally knocked down by an army player on the flank, after which a real fight broke out on the field. Ruslan Litvinov grabbed the red-blue defender Willian Rocha by the face, a heap began, from which another defender Srdjan Babic emerged with a broken lip.
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As a result, referee Alexei Sukhoi first showed a red card to the Brazilian army man, and then, with the help of VAR, issued a card of the same color to Litvinov (as the instigator). Thus, the judge balanced the lineups. Everything was absolutely to the point, except that the home team’s footballer, who, in fact, knocked down Spartak’s chief creative officer, was not punished in any way.
Photo source: RIA Novosti
And then I remembered an episode from a year and a half ago, when the same Willian Rocha had an argument with the now former red-and-white striker Alexander Sobolev, for which both were then sent off. That game was jokingly nicknamed the “Faberge Derby” because of the indecent gestures of the Spartak player, which were repeated by the unfortunate Willian.
It turns out that for Roshi matches with Spartak become some kind of curse. Now the Brazilian faces a six-match disqualification for hitting Litvinov in the head, provided that the RFU FAC qualifies the CSKA defender’s actions as participation in a fight. In this case, Rocha will be able to play in the championship next time only in March 2025. To the heap, at the end of the match, the army player Ivan Oblyakov was also sent off... but for game rudeness.
