The Expert Referee Commission, part of the Russian Football Union Presidency, reviewed the match from the 21st round of the Russian Premier League and determined that referee Alexei Sukhov erred by not awarding a penalty to Spartak Moscow. The assessment was published on the official site of the Russian Football Union.
The commission concluded that a penalty should have been awarded in the 15th minute, a decision that could have altered the course of the 0-0 draw.
Spartak midfielder Roman Zobnin was judged to have fouled Akhmat player Andrey Semenov inside the Spartak penalty area. The Expert Referee Commission explained that Sukhov should have viewed the contact as a negligent foul and awarded a spot kick.
Spartak head coach Guillermo Abascal received a fine for criticizing refereeing decisions after the match against Akhmat. During a post-match briefing, the Spaniard voiced concern about the referee’s actions, including a late decision to penalize visiting goalkeeper George Shelia for time-wasting in added time.
The red and white club’s coach was fined 60,000 rubles for unsportsmanlike conduct under article 96 of the RFU disciplinary regulations, representing the maximum sanction available under that article.
Andrey Arshavin, the former captain of Russia and a prominent figure at Zenit during his playing days, shared his views on Spartak Moscow’s recent form, noting concerns about the team’s consistency in recent matches. (Source: RFU official site)