Rostov traveled to Samara for their final away match of the current Mir Russian Premier League season. Akron entered the game in the relegation playoff zone, while Rostov needed just one point to secure their top-flight status.
Akron (Tolyatti) 1 – 3 Rostov (Rostov-on-Don)
0-1: Shchetinin (21′)
0-2: Mohebi (39′)
1-2: Sako (42′, own goal)
1-3: Melekhin (45+2′)
It came as no surprise that Akron took the field without Artem Dzyuba. The veteran striker picked up an injury in the previous round, leaving early in the 0-1 loss to Krasnodar. This week, Akron head coach Zaur Tedeev expressed doubt that Dzyuba would play again this season—a major blow for the team at a critical stage of the campaign.
Against Rostov, Gilson Benchimol started as the central striker, while 18-year-old Arseniy Dmitriev made his first RPL appearance of the season. The youngster had not played in the league since August 31, 2025, and had logged only 50 minutes total in the current RPL campaign before this match.
Rostov’s Jonathan Alba benched Ronaldo, who had scored the winner in the previous round. Konstantin Kuchaev also started on the bench. August 23 was the last time Rostov scored more than two goals in an RPL match (a 3-3 thriller against Lokomotiv in Moscow). In Samara, they managed three goals in the first half alone! At halftime, Kirill Shchetinin admitted he was shocked by the turn of events.
The scoring started with Shchetinin. He earned a free kick himself and then cleverly lifted the ball over the wall. The shot was not perfect—Vitaly Gudiev got a hand to it—but the goalkeeper couldn’t keep it out. It was Shchetinin’s second goal of the season, the first coming back in 2025 when he secured a 1-0 win over Sochi.
Three goals were scored in the final eight minutes of the first half. Mohammad Mohebi struck brilliantly from outside the box, the ball flying in off the post with Gudiev helpless. It was the Iranian’s first goal from open play this season—his previous two had been penalties. Dzyuba looked glum in the stands, Tedeev on the bench.
Then came the bizarre goals. Rustam Yatimov made a fine save from Benchimol’s header, and earlier had positioned well to block a scissor kick from the African striker. But Yatimov misjudged a corner kick, and the ball bounced off defender Umar Sako’s head and into his own net—a comedy own goal.
Just before the break, Gudiev erred. He came out for a cross but collided with Akron’s Marat Bokoev and Rostov’s Timur Suleymanov. All three went down, and Viktor Melekhin slotted into an empty net from a few yards out—perhaps the easiest goal of his career.
In the second half, Shchetinin grabbed his hamstring after a sprint and was substituted a few minutes later, leaving the field with a sad expression. It’s possible he will miss the rest of the season. Later, substitute Egor Golenko easily dribbled past Bokoev but couldn’t beat Gudiev—the goalkeeper deflected the ball onto the post.
The result pleased two RPL clubs. Rostov secured their place in the league (they only needed a draw) and remain in 10th place. Akron stays in the relegation playoff zone, while Orenburg also avoids direct relegation thanks to this outcome.
