Putin Cup - Match Day 1 Reports

Dynamo 0 - Lokomotiv 0

The Moscow derby between Dynamo and Lokomotiv rather than being a blood and guts cup tie turned out to be a dour game of chess that would probably have had Kasparov nodding off.

Both teams seem content with stifling out each other whilst creating very little in the way of goal scoring opportunities. The first half saw a solitary attempt on target with Victor making a routing save early on for the hosts from a speculative effort by Soldado. The only other notable event being a yellow card issued to Gamez when he scythed down Damari.

Neither side seemed to change their approach much in the second half with Soldado and Fernandes only slightly troubling Victor an effort whilst the visitors failed to register a single effort on target in whole 90 minutes..

Rajkovic found himself in the refs notebook after a foul; on Fernandes and the highlight of the game being Granats caution after a protracted rant at the referee who did everyone a favour by allowing exactly zero seconds of added time.

Both managers know their teams will need to brighten up if they are going to get their hands on cup this season.

Spartak 1 - Zenit 0

Meanwhile the other Moscow outfit in action Spartak hosted Zenit.

It turned out to be a game of contrasting fortunes for Spartaks Movsisyan who after setting up Promes for the only goal of the game on 35 minutes found himself sitting in the bath seven minutes later after being given a straight red for a disgraceful challenge on Endo.

There must have been something in the air in Moscow last night with nearly as few chances being created here at the Luzhniki as there were across the city at the Khimki.

Simon Houston will be pleased to be topping the table but like his counterpart Libaan Hassan knows there is definitely room for improvement.