In a Russian Premier League clash held in Grozny, Akhmat Grozny claimed a 3:1 victory over Orenburg. The March 4 confrontation unfolded at the home venue of Akhmat, and the final whistle confirmed the team from Chechnya as the winner in front of their supporters.
The opening moments set the tone as Yevgeny Kharin found the back of the net in the 11th minute, giving Akhmat an early lead. Soon after, Bernard Berisha converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time, extending the advantage and signaling Akhmat’s intent to control the tempo of the game. The hosts pressed on, while Orenburg faced mounting pressure from a well-organized home side, looking to balance the odds as the first half progressed.
Before the interval, Dmitry Vorobyov pulled one back for Orenburg, briefly reigniting the match and signaling a potential shift in momentum. The game swung into a tighter phase, with both sides creating chances as they jockeyed for position heading into the final minutes of the half.
As the second half commenced, Akhmat continued to apply pressure, and in the 90th minute plus four, Artem Timofeev sealed the score with a precise strike that found the opponent’s goal. The late goal underscored Akhmat’s ability to finish strongly and maintain numerical discipline on the field.
Notably, Orenburg spent a portion of the second half with a man down after Mikhail Sivakov received a second yellow card late in the first half, leaving the visitors to battle a tougher task for the remainder of the match. This red-card moment influenced the dynamics on the pitch and limited Orenburg’s avenues to respond with equal vigor in the final stages.
With the win, Akhmat Grozny increased their points tally to 29, moving ahead of Dynamo and CSKA in the league standings, at least for the moment, before those clubs’ 18th-round fixtures on the following day. The result positioned Akhmat in fourth place in the Russian Championship table, a notable climb that reflects the team’s recent form and collective effort across the campaign. Orenburg, by contrast, sits seventh with 25 points, a position that nonetheless keeps them within a competitive range as the season progresses toward the late stages.
Looking ahead, Akhmat Grozny is set to host Lokomotiv Moscow in the 19th round, scheduled for March 11, a home test that could further refine their standing and confidence. Orenburg, meanwhile, travels to face FC Sochi on March 10, seeking a response to this defeat and an opportunity to regain momentum in the stretch run of the season.
In other context around the league, a notable development involved Leonid Fedun, the former owner of Moscow Spartak, along with his wife Zarema Salikhova. They reacted publicly following the outcome of the 18th round match between Spartak’s traditional rivals and Yekaterinburg Ural, a reminder of the ongoing off-pitch narratives that accompany competitive fixtures in this league. These moments add color to a season that continuously intertwines on-field results with broader club and ownership discussions. [Citation: Russian Premier League records and match reports]