Former Spartak player Yegor Titov voiced strong criticism of the team’s defender Alexis Duarte following the opening round clash against Orenburg in the Russian Premier League. Titov, speaking to Sport Express, pointed to a clear defensive error by the legionnaire that directly influenced the game’s turning point. He warned that if such errors persist, the club will have to evaluate whether Duarte remains a fit option for the squad as they navigate the early stages of the season.
Spartak edged Orenburg in a tense 3-2 victory that kept the fans on the edge of their seats. The action unfolded with a high tempo, where momentum swung several times and both sides created meaningful chances. The result added another layer to the ongoing assessment of Spartak’s defensive solidity and attacking efficiency as the season begins to take shape in front of the home crowd and national TV audiences.
Early on, Victor Moses sparked the forward line and gave Spartak a sharp lift, sending the hosts ahead in the first half. The interval break did little to settle nerves, as Dmitry Vorobyov quickly equalized after the restart, leveling the score and reigniting the contest. Minutes later, Gabriel Florentin struck for Orenburg, restoring their lead and putting pressure squarely on Spartak to respond in kind.
With the clock ticking, Daniil Khlusevich delivered a crucial equalizer, restoring parity once more. The late drama intensified as Spartak found another gear, pushing for a late winner during stoppage time when a determined push yielded the decisive goal that sealed a dramatic win for the home side. The sequence underscored both teams’ willingness to gamble for three points and demonstrated the thin margins that define early-season confrontations in the league.
The post-match reflections from Titov emphasized the need for consistency at the back and focus in the final third. His remarks, rooted in watching the match closely, stressed that individual errors can carry heavy consequences in tightly contested fixtures and that correcting such lapses will be essential if Spartak intends to challenge at the top of the table as the campaign progresses. The discussion also touched on how coaches balance squad rotation with cohesion amid a demanding schedule, especially in the opening weeks of the season when form often fluctuates from game to game.