Baltika and Rubin shared the points in a Premier League clash that finished 1-1 on Sunday evening. The hosts had trailed since the eighth minute before finding a late response to salvage a draw at home.
J. Siwe opened the scoring when he beat the defence in the opening quarter of the game. Baltika spent the next hour trying to find an equaliser but the visitors defended well and kept the scoreline intact for most of the contest.
And here's the thing — the match changed in stoppage time. S. Varatynov struck in the ninetieth minute to level matters, then completed his brace four minutes later. Two goals in quick succession turned a defeat into a share of the spoils.
To be fair, the visitors had plenty to do after going behind. They made six substitutions and tried to manage the game, but Baltika's pressure never let up. The hosts threw everything forward in the final moments.
The statistics tell part of the story: Baltika held 55 per cent possession and created more shots, but conversion was poor. They registered four shots on target against Rubin's three, yet expected goals favoured the hosts 1.05 to 0.64. By then the result was already decided.
The draw leaves Baltika fifth on 10 points from six games, while Rubin remain eighth with nine. Both sides have lost just once this season, and neither side looked like they wanted more than a point from this encounter until the final whistle.