Vladimir Ponomarev, a former CSKA player, offered his perspective on the Moscow club’s straightforward 3-0 win over Khimki in the Russian Premier League during the 22nd round. The thoughts were reported by Metaratings.ru.
Ponomarev noted CSKA sits atop the table while Khimki is a squad largely built from players who moved up from the lower divisions. He pointed out that several performers need two or three seasons in the second tier to prove they can excel in the top flight. He did not shy away from criticizing the club’s recent coaching choices, openly questioning the current leadership and its strategic direction. His stance suggested that rebuilding from scratch can lead to uncertain progress and highlighted questions about the decisions made at the top of the club. The remarks were picked up by sports outlets after the match recap.
The match unfolded at the VEB Arena in Moscow, with CSKA taking a commanding 3-0 victory. The home side opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when Ivan Oblyakov found the net. Four minutes later, Bakhtiyar Zainutdinov added a second, putting additional pressure on Khimki. The third goal arrived in the 61st minute when Jorge Carrascal struck, sealing the win and leaving Khimki little room to respond. Broadcasters covering the game detailed the score progression in real time as the match developed [citation: Metaratings.ru].
Following the result, CSKA moved up to fourth in the table with 41 points, while Khimki sat in 15th place with 13 points. The result underscored CSKA’s strong home performance at the capital stadium and its ability to control matches, contrasting with Khimki’s ongoing league struggles. Commentary also considered broader implications for Khimki, identifying areas where the club could seek improvements to build stability and better outcomes as the season advances.
Rinat Bilyaletdinov, serving as acting head coach of Khimki, reflected on his tenure and the responsibilities involved in guiding a team facing top-flight competition. His remarks offered perspective on the difficulties of coaching a club with limited resources and the adjustments needed to compete against deeper squads. The discussion highlighted the pressure on coaches to balance development with results in a league where even midtable teams push to climb higher.