Lokomotiv Sail Into Europa League Playoffs

Lokomotiv blow away Skenderbeu on Matchday 6 of the Europa League group stage and advance to the tournament’s play-off stage.

Lokomotiv arrived in Albania one day ahead of the clash. There was an unspoken awareness of the game’s importance – it stood clear for all that qualification for the Europa League round of 16 lay entirely in the Railwaymen’s own hands. A draw would have been enough. At their heart everybody looked to win, of course.

At the pre-match press conference, Igor Cherevchenko revealed he had never visited Albania before, saying that he enjoyed what he saw through the bus window. Among the green palms, here and there, you could catch glimpses of X-mass trees, oriental bazaars, fairs, even a skating-rink.

The trip from the hotel to the stadium in the neighbouring town of Elbasan took less than half an hour. The weather was warm, but gusts of strong wind were tearing across the arena.

The duo of central defenders the manager choose for the game was long kept unknown. When finally announced, it turned out to be Mykhalyk teamed with Pejcinovic, now recovered.

Just two minutes off, the game saw its first shot on target, which - fortunately - missed our net. The Railwaymen spent about ten minutes coming into it. But then the Muscovites began bombarding the home goal, literally: there were Niasse’s breaks, Kasaev’s strikes and Samedov’s blasts. Skenderbeu keeper pulled off two implausible saves, however a close shot by Tarasov proved too much for him.

Thus, on 17 minutes, Lokomotiv went one up. The play calmed down. The rivals traded a few more perilous moments before half-time mark, yet it did not affect the score.

In the second half the teams set out conservatively. Although footballers on both sides were very careful, it was an end-to-end affair. Berisha in Skenderbeu showed great performance, in particular, firing dangerously a couple of times.

A little something eluded Moscow squad on their attacks. Nevertheless, late in the game, Niasse benefited from a misunderstanding between the home goalie and a defender and doubled our lead. Further on, Samedov put the match to bed through a close-range finish.

3:0 – Lokomotiv pick up an away victory and breeze from top spot into Europa League play-off. Elsewhere, Sporting defeated Besiktas 3:1 and book second in Group H. The Turkish and Albanian clubs exit the competition.

Europa League. Group Stage. Group H. Matchday 6

Skenderbeu - Lokomotiv - 0:3 (0:1)
Goals scored: Tarasov, 18 (0:1). Niasse, 89 (0:2). Samedov, 90 (0:3)
Skenderbeu: Shehi, Jashanica, Ademir, Radas, Abazi, Latifi (Progni, 72), Esquerdinha (Gjair, 82), Lilaj, Salihi, Berisha, Olayinka
Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Pejcinovic, Mykhalyk (Durica, 82), Denisov, Shishkin, Kasaev (Maicon, 76), Kolomeytsev, Samedov, Tarasov, Ndinga, Niasse (Miranchuk, 90)
Bookings: Shishkin, 5. Olayinka, 33. Samedov, 35. Tarasov, 50. Niasse, 77
Referee: Marijo Strahonja (Croatia)
10 December, Elbasan (Albania). Elbasan Arena