Football expert Alexander Bubnov has provided his analysis of Spartak Moscow's narrow 1-0 victory over CSKA Moscow in the semifinal of the Path of Regions Fonbet Russian Cup for the 2025/2026 season. The match, which decided a finalist, was a tense affair with momentum swinging between the two Moscow rivals.
According to Bubnov, the first half was dominated by Spartak. The red-and-whites controlled the game and managed to capitalize on their pressure by scoring a goal. This early advantage set the tone for the match and put CSKA on the back foot heading into the break.
However, the second half told a different story. CSKA came out with renewed vigor and completely turned the tide, enjoying what Bubnov described as full superiority on the pitch. The army men created several dangerous chances but, crucially, failed to convert any of them into an equalizing goal. Their inability to finish proved to be their undoing.
The decisive moment of the match came from a stunning long-range effort. Spartak's Litvinov unleashed a powerful shot from approximately 25 meters out that found the back of the net. Bubnov acknowledged the quality of the strike, calling it a beautiful and classy goal. Nevertheless, he placed a significant portion of the blame for the concession on CSKA's goalkeeper, Vladislav Torop.
Bubnov explained that while Torop had a strong overall performance throughout the game, he made a critical error on the goal. The expert noted that the young goalkeeper jumped from his position but failed to take an additional step in the direction of the ball's flight. This slight misjudgment meant he couldn't quite reach the shot, despite getting a hand to it. Bubnov suggested that with more experience, Torop would have made that extra step and likely saved the shot.
The expert summarized the match as being fundamentally equal, with both teams having periods of clear dominance. In his view, Spartak simply got the luckier break, with Litvinov's wonder goal being the difference-maker. This victory sends Spartak through to the final of the Russian Cup.
In the championship decider, Spartak will face the winner of the other semifinal matchup between Krasnodar and Dynamo Moscow. The final promises to be another exciting chapter in this season's cup competition.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.
