CSKA Moscow Vs. Rubin Kazan: 2-0 Full Time, Sergei Ryzhikov Gifts CSKA A Win

CSKA Moscow have taken all three points off of Rubin Kazan in comfortable fashion today, thanks to some solid midfield play and some incompetent goalkeeping from Rubin’s netminder, Sergei Ryzhikov. He gifted the hosts a goal in the first half with an error on Mark Gonzalez’s 27th minute shot, and he did poorly once again in the 49th minute, allowing an average shot from Seydou Doumbia to slip from his grasp as CSKA cruised to a 2-0 win.

The set-up for the Doumbia goal was impressive, but in the end, the shot was a slow dribbler right to the center of the net. Ryzhikov appeared to be in a decent position to stop it, but he reached out towards the ball awkwardly, inexplicably refusing to commit to using his entire body to stop the shot. CSKA scored on a shot that any goalkeeper with a little more confidence would have stopped, and despite Rubin hitting the crossbar a couple of minutes later, that second goal would be more than CSKA needed to take the victory.

Rubin defended well and actually looked at times like they could score, but their goalkeeper was ultimately their undoing. For a team lacking in the firepower and resources of their fellow Champions League contenders, poor goalkeeping performances are simply inexplicable. Ryzhirkov has always been questionable, though serviceable, and Rubin either need to get better performances for him or look elsewhere in the summer.