The final of the Russian Football Cup proved to be a dazzling showcase at Luzhniki, a stadium packed with roughly 69 thousand spectators. It presented a Moscow derby with Spartak facing Dynamo on the occasion of Dynamo’s centennial year. While Spartak finished the season inside the top three in the league, their Premier League campaign ended in tenth place, a result tempered by a heavy defeat to their rival in the last round. Yet in winter, optimism returned as Spartak topped their Europa League group and prepared to challenge Leipzig, led by former Spartak boss Domenico Tedesco. Sanctions hanging over Russian football, however, kept Spartak from meeting their former mentor on the European stage.
Securing the country’s Cup title would soften the sting of the championship setback, a fact not lost on Spartak. The Cup final opened with a strike in the 10th minute as Oleksandr Sobolev cut inside and fired from outside the box toward the near post. A brief offside review was followed by a VAR check, and the goal stood. Sobolev celebrated with a deeply personal moment, lifting his shirt to reveal a message for his late mother, who had passed away in 2020. The striker was later named man of the match, his performance crowned by the emotional milestone.
Dinamo found a reply soon after the break. Arsen Zakharyan seized on a loose ball near the penalty line and unleashed a shot that clipped Spartak’s defender Samuel Gigot before finding the net off the post. Maksimenko, Spartak’s goalkeeper, saw his rebound saved but the ball crossed the line, and the game shifted toward a tense duel. Spartak intensified their pressure in the second half, and the cumulative pressure paid dividends as the red-and-whites pressed forward with purpose.
In the 72nd minute a rapid counterattack culminated in Quincy Promes driving into the penalty area and beating Igor Leshchuk to restore Spartak’s lead. The arena roared as the team moved toward sealing the cup in their centenary year.
Even before halftime long after, Dynamo had a late chance to level the score. Ruslan Litvinov struck Evgeniev with his elbow in the box, a moment scrutinized by VAR and then by head referee Kirill Levnikov upon review. A penalty was awarded in stoppage time at 90+5, and Daniil Fomin stepped up. His attempt sailed over the crossbar, leaving Spartak fans and players to savor the moment as the final whistle rang.
Spartak lifted the trophy for the first time since 2017 and their first Cup since the 2002/03 season. The victory culminated in a memorable on-field celebration, with thousands singing the club’s unofficial anthem, Do You Know, in tandem with MakSim and the players in red and white.
Former Spartak and Dynamo midfielder Yuri Kovtun reflected that the intensity remained high until the very end, noting that the missed spot kick had a remarkable impact on the match’s outcome. He added that the Luzhniki crowd created a unique atmosphere, one where the venue itself felt like a player in the game.
Speaking from a dual allegiance perspective, Kovtun observed that he has played for both clubs and ultimately acknowledged that someone deserved the Cup that night, even as both sides had their moments. Dynamo’s late-season efforts, while ambitious, fell short in the final act. The team had opportunities to claim the championship and the Cup, and while some may question the coaching decisions, the season overall carried positive momentum for the club. Leadership would likely weigh its options before charting the next steps, with the aim of building on a strong campaign. Acknowledging the optimism, Kovtun cautioned that further progress would require sustained improvement.
Dmitry Bulykin, who spent his career with Dynamo, offered congratulations to Spartak on their centennial Cup triumph and noted that Dynamo’s season showed promise despite not reaching the title chase. He highlighted the atmosphere, the stadium, and the intrigue of the match, while lamenting the missed penalty that could have shifted the balance. Bulykin suggested that Dynamo could still be proud of a season that exceeded expectations in discipline and consistency, while recognizing the Cup final as a high-stakes, high-drama spectacle. His assessment, like others, emphasized that Spartak’s Cup win, in this year of celebration for the club, was well earned. [Source: socialbites.ca]
Could Fomin recover from the penalty miss? Bulykin reminded readers that statistics are transient, and a single moment cannot define a career. The setback, though painful, would be a learning point for future fixtures as Dynamo looked toward the next campaign. The evening’s mood remained jubilant for Spartak fans, but the broader lesson was clear: in cup finals, timing and nerves can tilt a game as much as skill and structure. [Source: socialbites.ca]
Denis Boyarintsev, a former Russia player now coaching Rodina, offered a candid take on the cup showcase. He commended Spartak’s organization and described the match as competitive, with Dynamo failing to seize a crucial moment on the penalty spot. He pointed to defensive lapses as a recurring issue for Dynamo, ones that prevented them from mounting a serious challenge for the league title. Boyarintsev also highlighted the importance of disciplined, cohesive team play in such high-stakes matches, praising Spartak for taking advantage of their opportunities and securing a deserved win. His view echoed that the Cup triumph came at a meaningful time in the club’s long history, reinforcing a sense of continuity and momentum for the season ahead.
Beyond the tactical tale, the Cup final underscored the emotional arc of a historic club achieving silverware on its hundredth anniversary, while a rival faced the sting of a near-miss. The sentiment among players and pundits alike favored Spartak’s qualification for a momentous triumph, even as the season’s broader narrative remained mixed. The game’s conclusion left fans reveling in the moment and contemplating what could come next, both for Spartak and for the evolving landscape of Russian football. [Source: socialbites.ca]