Two medal contenders entered a decisive head-to-head clash in far from ideal form. Baltika had failed to win in six matches, suffering back-to-back home defeats. After losing to Rubin, the club issued an apology to fans on social media, promising a better performance in the next game. Meanwhile, coach Andrey Talalaev was forced to reshuffle his lineup due to the absences of Borisko, Chivich, Titkov, Filin, and Khil — nearly half of his usual starting XI — including Anderson making his first start in a central defensive trio.
Lokomotiv, for their part, were without defensive leader Montes, his potential replacement Nyamsi, Komlichenko, and star player Batrakov.
The match kicked off with Lokomotiv missing Alexei, replaced by Vera — a player who made headlines in winter for his excess weight and had only come off the bench in spring. His total playing time in the previous five rounds amounted to just over one full match (103 minutes). The Argentine finally got a chance in his natural position and immediately showed his quality on set pieces. The visitors dealt with the first one, but the second brought results: Lucas Fasson fought for the ball near the goal area, Morozov’s volley hit the crossbar, and Rudenko pounced on the rebound to score.
A dream start for Lokomotiv and a nightmare for Baltika—but the damage didn’t stop there. On the 11th minute, Andrade was sent off after a VAR review upgraded his yellow card to red for a foul on Bakaev. However, that didn’t crush the visitors. They quickly recovered, and if Yenne’s shot merely tested Mitryushkin, then after a trademark long throw from Beev, Gassama rattled the crossbar with a volley. With the game’s tempo changing, the early substitution of Pogostnov — who was on a yellow card — for Nenakhov (returning after a two-match absence) proved telling.
All in all, Baltika played so well that the absence of one player was barely noticeable. Although Lokomotiv had the better chances late in the first half, creating two good opportunities thanks to Bakaev’s movement to the left. One memorable moment came from a swift counterattack: Rudenko passed to Zelimkhan, who shot from a tight angle, and Lyubakov saved with his foot.
The second half began with a powerful strike from Vorobyov, but the whistle had already blown: Nenakhov, acting as an assistant, fouled Beev. This attack turned out to be the starting point of a strong spell from the Railwaymen, who not only increased their tempo but also moved the ball quicker. Baltika — at least during that stretch — struggled to keep up. The visitors could thank goalkeeper Lyubakov for keeping the score unchanged. The keeper, playing only his second RPL match, denied Rudenko after Bakaev had set him free, and also tipped Nenakhov’s long-range effort over the bar. It seemed everything was under control for Mikhail Galaktionov’s side, but the second VAR intervention went against Lokomotiv. After reviewing the monitor, the referee called a foul by Morozov on Mendel and pointed to the penalty spot.
A double disaster and a draw that would favor Spartak loomed at Cherkizovo, but Mitryushkin — a product of Spartak’s academy — saved Ilya Petrov’s spot-kick. It was the third penalty Anton has stopped this season. While his November save against Rostov (3-1) and recent stop against Krylya (0-2) came in games where the outcome was already decided, this Sunday the captain delivered a save that decided the match — and possibly the bronze medals.