Ural 2-2 CSKA: Ural contain title-holders in return to RPL

Ural have managed a 2-2 draw (the 3rd match with this score in the first matchweek) in their first match back in the Russian Premier League, holding CSKA Moscow despite the early dominance of the visitors.

CSKA lined up in their predictable 4-2-3-1 formation, but started with a double pivot of Wernbloom and Dzagoev with Honda lining up on the right flank. Ural played their own 4-2-3-1 with Serder Serderov on the right flank and Spartak Gogniev at striker. The match started somewhat predictably, with CSKA having the majority of both possession and chances and coming close through both Zuber and Love within the first 10 minutes. Ural seriously struggled to get the ball out of their half and CSKA were content to spray the ball around the park with little fear of conceding possession. Aleksandr Sapeta was particularly quiet in this period and did little to break up play of any sort. Dzagoev came close from his deeper position with nice aerial control and a half-volley from range, but Pomazan was equal to it and took it easily. CSKA finally took the lead in the 25th minute when Georgi Schennikov put a cross low into the path of an onrushing Ahmed Musa, who easily put it into the back of the net. After the goal, CSKA let off slightly, but were still more than enough to handle the poor Ural. They only managed to come close one more time before the break however, when Honda fired low to the right of the goal, missing the post by millimetres. The visitors thus went into halftime deservedly in the lead.

The Ural side that came out in the second half looked entirely different, despite only one change being made (Artur Sarkisov replacing Aleksandr Erokhin). The hosts immediately went on the front foot and capitalised on some disastrous CSKA defending to equalise just 3 minutes after half time. Zuber's attempted header backwards was too powerful and it fell to Serderov, who slotted it sideways to Spartak Gogniev. Gogniev took a shot first time, but still relied on a deflection to put it past Akinfeev and become the first player to score for seven different RPL clubs. Before long, Zuber was replaced by Rasmus Elm, with Dzagoev shifted to the left wing, but this failed to have a significant effect as Ural began to take a hold of the game in front of their home fans. They were finally rewarded for their effort and went ahead in the 77th minute as Gogniev took his second on a tap in from a low Andrei Gorbanets cross. CSKA finally turned the game back in their favour and were rewarded with an equaliser from Vagner Love on a header from a long Rasmus Elm cross. With the game level once again, CSKA pushed further forward. Pontus Wernbloom had a header cleared off the goal line. Sergei Ignashevich followed up with a strong shot from range which went narrowly over the bar and proved to be the final attempt of the match, ending it at 2-2.

Man of the Match: Spartak Gogniev
With 2 goals against the title holders in a fantastic all-round performance, Gogniev was a constant threat to Igor Akinfeev's goal by exploiting weaknesses in CSKA's defence. Excellent performance