Nizhny Novgorod saw off Dynamo Stavropol 2:1 in the Regions Path quarter-finals of the Cup on Tuesday evening. The visitors took control after a tight opening period and held on despite a late push from the hosts. It means they advance to the next stage while Stavropol's campaign comes to an end.
Lapinskiy gave the hosts a shock lead in the seventeenth minute, catching the defence off guard. Karasev picked up a yellow card shortly after for a reckless challenge. The turning point came in the fifty-first when Karasev equalised, and here's the thing — you could see the shift in momentum straight away.
Both sides made four changes around the hour mark, though the substitutions didn't immediately change the pattern of play. Shilov went off after receiving a booking in the sixty-fourth, and the hosts threw bodies forward in search of a response. Popolitov restored Nizhny's advantage in the seventy-third, and by then the game was effectively over.
Stavropol dominated possession at 66 per cent but couldn't convert the territory into chances. Nizhny registered five shots on target to the hosts' two, and the efficiency told. The visitors also won ten corners while the hosts managed none — another sign of where the pressure fell.
The result extends Nizhny's recent form, which has seen them win four of their last five across all competitions. Stavropol will have to look at how they respond to dropping points in a knockout tie. The hosts now return to league action without the pressure of Cup football.
