Voronezh Fakel emerged victorious over Samara Wings of the Soviets in a tense 29th round clash of the Russian Premier League, delivering a hard-fought win on home soil. The fixture, played in Voronezh on a late May day, saw the hosts seize a 2-1 triumph that kept their playoff hopes alive and added drama to the season’s run-in.
From the opening minutes, Fakel asserted themselves with intent, and Andrei Mendel broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, giving the home side a first-half lead that set the tone for a gripping encounter. The visitors pressed to find parity but were denied by a determined Fakel defense and timely contributions from the goalkeeper. The spearhead of Fakel’s attacking thrust, Roman Akbashev, doubled the advantage just after the hour mark in the 57th minute with a well-worked finish that showcased the team’s attacking patience and ability to convert chances when they mattered most.
Samara’s response came late in the game as the clock neared its end; Nikolai Rasskazov stepped up in the 75th minute to peg one back for the guests and keep the result in doubt. The late goal sparked renewed energy in the visitors, but Fakel’s resilience held firm, ensuring a crucial victory that prevented a clean sheet loss and reinforced the home team’s position in the table.
With this win over Krylya Sovetov, Fakel reached 30 points and climbed from 14th to 12th place in the Russian Championship standings. The result signaled significant progress for the Voronezh club, highlighting a late-season push that has elevated their prospects and added momentum ahead of the remaining fixtures. Samara, by contrast, collected 29 points and slipped to 13th, a setback that underscores the tight margins inside the league and the pressure to perform in every remaining match.
Looking ahead to the 30th round, the league landscape is set to intensify as Fakel travels to face Zenit St. Petersburg, a former champion and one of the season’s strongest outfits. Krylya Sovetov also has forthcoming commitments, with an away game against Spartak in Samara, while Spartak themselves are set to visit St. Petersburg as part of a challenging sequence that will test the resilience and consistency of the top teams en route to the RPL silver medals. The upcoming fixtures promise to be pivotal for the championship race and for securing a place in the playoffs, or at least avoiding a relegation playoff position.
As the season heads toward its final stages, Fakel, Krylya Sovetov, and Paris Nizhny Novgorod stand as contenders for the playoff spots that grant the right to compete in the Premier Division next season. It is worth noting that the teams finishing 13th and 14th in the final table of the higher division are required to participate in transition matches with Premier Division clubs, a dramatic reminder of how every point counts at this stage of the campaign.
Previously, Ramil Izmailov, the General Manager of Paris Nizhny Novgorod, reaffirmed the club’s confidence in head coach Sergei Yuran, emphasizing the board’s continued belief in the project and the direction set for the squad as the battle for top-flight status intensifies and the squad aims to maximize its potential in these decisive weeks.