Kristall retain FONBET Cup to complete domestic double

Brazilians prove the difference in FONBET Cup Final as Kristall beat Lokomotiv to take their third Russian cup

The final may have taken place in Sochi, but this match all about two other cities: St. Petersburg and Moscow. Sunday saw old rivals, Kristall and Lokomotiv, meet once more in a final battle for silverware. 

Both sides had cruised through victory after victory on their way to the top, with Lokomotiv Moscow smashing ten goals past their city rivals, ELMONT, in the semis to make it to the final.

Kristall didn’t have such an easy test in their semi-final tie against Spartak Moscow. Although they took an initial lead through Brazilian Datinha and Shishin, as the game pressed on, Spartak looked like they might find a way back.

But Kristall held on to their lead and the game ended 6-4 and the final was set… 

KRISTALL 4-1 LOKOMOTIV   

The match started as a tense and close coming together of two high-quality sides, and many clear goal-scoring chances were created. However, it wasn’t until the ninth minute when the Brazilian number nine, Rodrigo, nudged Kristall ahead.

They went into the first break with a one-goal lead, which Fedorov then doubled a few minutes into the second period. The St. Petersburg side were starting to find a rhythm and were looking the more dangerous of the two sides.

Then Nikonorov struck to reduce the difference to just one again and at the second whistle the match was just as close as it had been at the first. But Angelo Schirinzi’s Brazilians proved to be the difference between the two teams, as first Datinha netted to make it 3-1, and then Rodrigo completed his brace to put the game to bed.

Despite a spirited fight, Lokomotiv will have to wait another year to taste cup glory, as Kristall claim the FONBET Cup for a second year running, completing the domestic double after winning the Russian Championships earlier in the year.

In the third-place play-offs, Spartak Moscow fell to two late ELMONT goals to lose 4-5 and finish the tournament in fourth place. ELMONT claim third.

For full details of the FONBET Cup, including results, standings and videos of the games, please visit http://bsrussia.com/