Goals from Smolov and Tyukavin bring Dynamo win over Akhmat

Fabián Balbuena, who missed the previous round due to disqualification, returned to the starting eleven and formed a centre-back tandem with Roman Yevgenyev. In his turn, Nikola Moro recovered from small injury and was back in harness again. In attack, Sandro Schwarz decided to field Arsen Zakharyan, Fedor Smolov and Denis Makarov.

Before the kick-off Dynamo former goalkeeper Vladimir Pilgui and Valentina Yashina congratulated Anton Shunin on joining the Lev Yashin Club and offered him a symbolic jersey with the number 100 and a memorable cup.

Despite Akhmat were making life difficult for Dynamo keeping the score goalless within the hour of play, our captain was practically out of a job. The absence of the leaders Bernard Berisha and Daniil Utkin caused some troubles for the Chechen side, which lacked creativity in attack.

Denis Makarov from the right wing and Diego Laxalt from the left tried to threaten the visitors' goal deftly leapfrogging the opposing defenders.

By the end of the first half, Akhmat players disturbed Shunin twice: firstly, Sebai tried to pick the ball into the net from close angle. Two minutes later Anton made a wonderful save stopping Aleksandr Troshechkin's effort.

After the interval, the White-Blues continued to dominate and converted their advantage into a well-deserved lead. Arsen Zakharyan, Daniil Fomin and Denis Makarov organized a nice one and two-touch interplay that was finished by Fedor Smolov's blistering rocket into the top corner.

Dynamo players were on a tear on these minutes, while Vitaly Gudiyev did his best saving his teammates. In one of such dangerous episodes the Chechen goalkeeper denied Zakharyan's heavy strike that followed after Makarov's magic dribbling.

On the 79th minute, the hosts doubled the lead. Shunin assisted on Tyukavin having cleared the ball. The teenage star outmuscled Marat Bystrov and rifled an unstoppable effort through Vitaly Gudiyev’s legs. Tyukavin could add the third goal in several minutes but his flying volley didn't find the net.

Dynamo earned 52 points and levelled with Zenit in the table. In the next round the White-Blues will face CSKA in a friendly derby. Before this fixture Sandro Schwarz' men will go to Kaliningrad for a quarterfinal battle against Baltika on Tuesday, April 19.