Torpedo Moscow beat Spartak Kostroma 3-0 in the First League on Thursday evening. The hosts dominated from the opening minutes, with A. Kashtanov scoring three goals to secure all three points. The result extends Torpedo's unbeaten run to eight matches across all competitions.
Kashtanov had the game won inside twenty minutes. He opened the scoring in the sixth minute before doubling his tally four minutes later. Kostroma's A. Tarasov picked up a yellow card as the hosts controlled proceedings. By then, the visitors looked exposed against a well-organised defensive shape.
The second half brought more drama without changing the outcome. Kashtanov completed his hat-trick in the sixtieth minute, putting the tie beyond doubt. Both sides made substitutions in quick succession, with Kostroma bringing on D. Kaptilovich and A. Tarasov in the forty-sixth minute. Torpedo responded by introducing A. Nemchenko and N. Mohammadi sixty-seven minutes in.
The statistics tell the story of a one-sided encounter. Torpedo held 53 per cent possession and registered five shots on target compared to Kostroma's two. The visitors managed four corners but couldn't find a way through the home defence. Three yellow cards for each side reflected the intensity, though neither team received a red card.
Torpedo move up to fourth place with nineteen points from nine games. Kostroma remain in sixth position on fifteen points after eight matches. The gap between them narrows as the season progresses, but tonight's result gives the hosts a significant boost in their push for promotion.