At a club friendly on Tuesday, Akademiya Mikhailova U20 claimed a 5:4 victory over Krylia Sovetov Moscow in a match that went beyond full time. The result adds to a string of high-scoring encounters for both sides in recent weeks.
Krylia Sovetov Moscow have played four matches since early August, with results that show a pattern of open, attacking play. They drew 4:4 against Стальные Лисы before beating Динамо-Шинник 4:3, then suffered a 5:2 defeat to Тайфун. By then, the Moscow side had already shown they tend to leave games open at both ends.
The visitors have spent most of April facing Spartak in a series of fixtures. Their record against the capital club reads 1:5, 0:1, 5:1 and 0:1, with only one victory in four attempts. Last month they also beat СКА-Академия 5:2 in what appears to be another friendly.
And here's the thing — the final score of 5:4 suggests neither side held back for long. Krylia Sovetov Moscow scored four goals themselves, while Akademiya Mikhailova U20 found the net five times. It was not a tactical battle so much as a test of who could finish better.
To be fair, both teams have been matching each other's output in recent friendlies. Krylia Sovetov Moscow lost 4:5 to Стальные Лисы just five days ago, and this time they faced a different opponent with a similar attacking mindset. The U20 side had not beaten a top flight opponent outside their own age group before this result.
The victory gives Akademiya Mikhailova U20 a morale boost after their mixed April campaign. They went unbeaten in three of five matches before this, with two wins and three losses. Krylia Sovetov Moscow now sit with three wins and two defeats across their last five fixtures.