CSKA Moscow Vs. Rubin Kazan, Russian Premier League: CSKA Defeat Rubin 2-0 Thanks To Two Ryzhikov Howlers

CSKA Moscow lead 1-0 at halftime over Rubin Kazan from the Khimki Arena, and I’d like everyone to count all of the Rubin Kazan comebacks that they remember on their hands. If you’re a newcomer to following the Russian Premier League, don’t worry. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have gotten that far. Mark Gonzalez is the man who scored for CSKA, and Rubin will probably have trouble finding a goal of their own.

Gonzalez’s strike was a solid one, but it definitely doesn’t happen if the goalkeeper does his job, and as a result, Sergei Ryzhikov deserves more criticism than Gonzalez deserves praise for the goal. In the 27th minute, Gonzalez hit a half volley from the left wing, about 30 yards from goal. The angle minimized the places that Gonzalez could put the ball, and it seemed as if Ryzhikov saw it all the way. Still, he played a bounce incorrectly and let the ball bounce off his arms into the back of the net, giving CSKA a 1-0 lead.

They’re underway at Arena Khimki and the lineups for CSKA Moscow are basically as expected. Neither team has hit us with a major personnel or formation surprise, and the lineups suggest that this game will feature a whole lot of Rubin sitting back and CSKA trying to break them down. Here are the lineups.

CSKA Moscow lineup (4-4-2): Akinfeev; V. Berezoutski, A. Berezoutski, Ignashevich, Nababkin; Semberas, Oliseh, Gonzalez, Dzagoev; Doubmia, Necid

Coming off of their 1-1 draw 3-0 win against Zenit St. Petersburg, thanks to the defending champions’ failure to play an under-20 year old home grown player, CSKA Moscow have another tough task as they continue their march towards the top of the Russian Premier League table. They face another very tough task this week in Rubin Kazan, a team who has gone to the Champions League and frustrated big teams in that competition for consecutive years.

Rubin are coming off of a disappointing 0-0 home draw against Spartak Nalchik, but their rigid, defensive style of play lends itself to these sorts of things happening. Of course, it also allows them to get very good results against big teams, like CSKA.