National cup

National stadium
Spectators: 15921 (Terracing: 10000, Seating: 5448, VIP seats: 473) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Parfen Babarykin started the match with the kick off. Rodion Nikitin could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 8th minute of the match, but Bryant Reina made a huge save. Polikarp Miheev took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Dallas Dalglish, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Russia were awarded a corner in the 19th minute after Australia's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Max Lunin took the corner. Russia's Polikarp Miheev played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Conner Carragher in the 21st minute of play. If Rodion Nikitin had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 25th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Conner Carragher sent away a hard shot on goal in the 26th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. 28 minutes into the match, Australia's Conner Carragher sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Polikarp Miheev narrowly saved just below the crossbar. A nice corner shot did that Elliott Virgin got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Polikarp Miheev quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. In the 30th minute Conner Carragher shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Polikarp Miheev saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Russia's Polikarp Miheev played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Conner Carragher in the 34th minute of play. Conner Carragher might have been able to make a better finish in the 35th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Polikarp Miheev. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Conner Carragher ran back to his position shaking his head. An unexpectedly hard shot by Conner Carragher in the 35th minute of play forced Russia's goalkeeper Polikarp Miheev to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 37th play minute Rodion Nikitin came free and shot an unsuspected shot which went into goal from the right pole behind a surprised Bryant Reina. 1-0. If Conner Carragher had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 46th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Conner Carragher to strike the kick off in the second half. The crowd rose to their feet as Conner Carragher kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Polikarp Miheev. That made the score 1-2 in the 56 minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Grigoriy Melnichenko in the 65th minute of play forced Australia's goalkeeper Bryant Reina to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 66 minutes into the match, Australia's goal looked a bit too open when Grigoriy Melnichenko came free, but Bryant Reina reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The audience was convinced that Parfen Babarykin's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Bryant Reina was relentless in the 68th minute of the game. Russia's defense didn't have a chance, in the 69th minute, when Conner Carragher scored to the left of an out of position Polikarp Miheev, making the score, 1-3. In the 73rd minute, Conner Carragher left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Australia fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-4. Conner Carragher might have been able to make a better finish in the 76th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Polikarp Miheev. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Conner Carragher ran back to his position shaking his head. Russia's Polikarp Miheev proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 76th minute of the match, managed to save Russia from getting a goal against them. 79 minutes into the match, Russia's goalkeeper Polikarp Miheev had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Conner Carragher. Conner Carragher came free with the goalkeeper in the 81st minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Polikarp Miheev could save by the left post. If Arkadiy Amfiteatrov had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 82nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Grigoriy Melnichenko in the 84th minute of play forced Australia's goalkeeper Bryant Reina to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Conner Carragher in the 85th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Polikarp Miheev prevented the ball from getting in the gole. 95 minutes into the match, Grigoriy Melnichenko notched a goal, 2-4, to the right of Australia's Bryant Reina. Bryant Reina was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it.