8 things you need to know about Round 37 of the Russian Premier League

1. Tomsk leaves the bottom of the league

Alan Gatagov’s superb overhead kick goal is valuable not just from the aesthetic point of view, but also from a practical one. It also lifted Tom Tomsk from the bottom of the league table, with the Siberian club earning eight points in the last five games. After 11 games in the «dumpster», they finally moved up to 15th, with their opponents Spartak Nalchik now trailing behind (they have lost five out five games since the restart). The Nalchik fans are already beginning to book tickets for away trips in the FNL next season, but the Tomsk fans shouldn’t get too excited: they are still seven points away from safety.

2. Volga and Rostov put up a show

The torrid weather in Nizhny Novgorod didn’t stop the hosts Volga and the visiting Rostov from putting up a great show, ending in the Novgorod club’s second straight victory and Andrey Karyaka’s 101st goal. It’s so rare these days to see some quality action in the «bottom 8» games, so this match was like a breath of fresh air. And don’t mind the possession stats: the teams tended to lob the ball up the park, so, despite the entertaining nature of this clash, the pass completion ratios couldn’t have been too great anyway. It was otherwise an excellent battle, pity that you missed it.

3. Doumbia reaches 27 season goals

Doumbia’s header from a Tosic cross on after an hour played against Kuban was the Ivorian’s 27 goal of the campaign. Seven of those were headed goals – the most anyone got this season. But alas, the strike didn’t bring CSKA three points – Leonid Slutsky threw an extra anchorman on the pitch and within five minutes the guests conceded the equaliser. Who scored it? That’s Sekret.

4. Dikan’s collision with Kerzhakov

Spartak goalkeeper Andrey Dikan left the pitch on 67th minute after sustaining three fractures in his scull during a collision with Zenit striker Alexander Kerzhakov. 21 minutes earlier he conceded a goal, scored by Kerzhakov, which turned out to be the winner for Zenit. Even though all reason points towards the Russian striker’s innocence, the Russian football authorities will be forced to examine the episode with Dikan, keeping in mind the precedent, created by ban for Welliton over the clash with Akinfeev last year. Spartak’s call for a suspension to the disciplinary committee is in some way just an appeal to the senses of an institution, that seems to have lost theirs.

5. Fedun vs Zenit

The controversial claim made by Spartak owner Leonid Fedun that «there is a team in the RPL that’s put together with racial characteristics in mind», seems to have backfired at the Red-Whites’ chief. Though not being all that outlandish, it did come across as a rather emotional outburst of a sore loser, who is not willing to confront the problems in his own club. It was also masterfully deflected by the witty and outspoken Zenit boss Luciano Spalletti:

«I’d like to see what kind of characteristics for the basis of the selection process in Fedun’s Spartak, as the club has not won a trophy under his ownership,» Spalletti fired back.

Boom! Zenit takes this round of the mind games.

6. Terek’s blunder-galore vs Amkar

It was the clear to everyone on the arena in Perm, who was April’s Fool on the day: Spartak Moscow outcast Soslan Dzhanaev, sent to Terek on loan after numerous blunders in goal, was once again at fault for his side’s defeat. While Martin Jiranek’s own goal maybe seen as primarily the defender’s fault (though the goalkeeper was in no man’s land), the second one is spectacularly funny, and reminds you of the old United flop Massimo Taibi.

7. Obafemi Martins vs Chris Samba

A duel that could easily have happened in the Premiership just a few months back, but it actually took place in Kazan, where Rubin beat Anzhi to record their first win since the turn of the year. Martins got the winner, rounding Samba to provide the finish for Ansaldi’s cross. With Rubin’s win, there was only one other team in the Top 8, who hadn’t earned three points since the third stage of the season began.

8. Lokomotiv concede the first goal of this spring

After this match, there were no teams without a victory this year in the RPL. Dynamo scored at the end of each half to earn the precious three points. The Blue-Whites have been far from hopeless, despite their winless streak, so it’s all the more impressive for them to defeat the Railwaymen. Lokomotiv hasn’t conceded a goal this spring, that’s eleven 45-minute stretches, and the run was only broken by defender Roman Shishkin, who misjudged his clearance, gifting the ball to Kokorin, and the Dynamo striker responded gratefully with a Messi-like finish.