As in the previous, third match, in the fourth one, the northerners were close to extending the streak for one more game. The main time did not reveal the winner, and only in the extra time the Uralians were able to defeat the opponent.
From the first minutes of the match it became clear that the nickel players would have a much harder time. Valery Demin opened the scoring at the first minute. Two minutes later Pavel Karpov followed suit. Three minutes later, Maxim Okulov brought the score to a large one – 3:0. To the credit of the northerners, the disastrous start of the game did not break them. Ruslan Kudziev on the 11th, Pavel Suchilin on the 13th and Darlan on the 17th minute nullified the efforts of the Uralians. However, the teams left for the break with a different mood, when Sergey Abramov scored for Sinara.
In the second 25-minute period, the opponents created a number of dangerous moments, but each time the ball treacherously passed the goal line, which was a special merit of the goalkeepers. Yekaterinburg goalkeeper Dmitry Putilov looked the most confident, catching courage at the last line of defense and becoming one of the best players in the match.
When there were several minutes left until the end of the game, Yevgeny Kuksevich, the helmsman of Norilsk Nickel, took a chance and released the fifth field player. Unfortunately for the northerners, the risk was not justified, it was not possible to save the meeting: at the end of the game, Demin put an end to the series.
Thus, having lost in the fourth playoff match – 3:5, the total score of the series to three victories became 3:1 in favor of Sinara. This is where the Norilsk team ends the Super League season. However, they have another test ahead – the decisive meeting of the Russian Cup, the country’s second most important tournament. Let us remind you that the match against Gazprom-Ugra will take place on September 9 in Yugorsk. The first match between the teams in Norilsk ended in favor of the home team with the score of 1:0.
Text: Mikhail Tuaev, Photo: Norilsk Nickel FC’s press service
