Dynamo Moscow retains the Russian Cup. The Moscow-based team defeated Dynamo SSHOR (Astrakhan Region) 9:5 in today’s final and won its third straight Russian Cup. Yesterday, Dynamo Moscow defeated Baltika (Saint Petersburg) 13:8 in the semifinal.
The Final Four was played in Moscow. The tournament was, actually, the finish of the 2019/20 season. The quarterfinal matches were played in December and February. The competition was interrupted because of the pandemic, but the Federation decided to complete the Cup. To remind, the Russian Federation didn’t cancel the 2019/20 league. The ranking before the suspension was approved as the final standings. Sintez Kazan won the title. The new season started in mid-September.
Unfortunately, only three teams played at the Final Four. Spartak Volgograd withdrew a day before the start of the tournament, due to the epidemical situation. The whole team has been quarantined after they underwent coronavirus testing.
2019/20 Russian Cup, Final Four (Moscow)
Semifinals
Dynamo Moscow – Baltika 13:8 (3:1, 2:4, 4:1, 4:2)
Dynamo M: Vasilyev 3, Rustamov 3, Bugaychuk 2, Shein 2, Jahaya 1, Usov 1, Volkov 1.
Baltika: Romanov 2, Emelyanov 2, Zhitnik 1, Yatsenko 1, Egorov 1, Sidorov 1.
Dynamo SSHOR – Spartak Volgograd – Spartak withdrew
Final match
Dynamo Moscow – Dynamo SSHOR Astrakhan 9:5 (3:0, 3:1, 2:0, 1:4)
Dynamo M: Bugaychuk 3, Ekomazov 2, Rustamov 1, Jahaya 1, Shein 1, Usov 1.
Dynamo SSHOR: Sykalov 2, Spiridonov 2, Khachaturian 1.
Baltika produced the biggest surprise of the quarterfinals, played in December and February. It ousted Sintez Kazan after two exciting games (9:9 in Kazan and 12:10 in Saint Petersburg).
The Saint Petersburg-based team started well in the semifinals. The first half was quite balanced. Dynamo was ahead for most of the time, but the score was 5:5 at halftime. However, the hosts dominated the third and fourth quarters. Dynamo opened the third quarter with four goals in a row for 9:5 and controlled the match until the end.
There was no excitement in the final match. Dynamo Moscow started excellently. The hosts’ defense, led by a 48-year-old goalkeeper Nikolay Maksimov (the silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics) did a great job in the first half. Dynamo Moscow jumped to a 6:0 lead before the team from Astrakhan Region found the net for the first time, late in the second quarter. By the last break, the Moscow-based side earned an 8:1 lead and slowed down in the final eight minutes.
Nikolay Maksimov Photo: WP-Dynamo/FB
An experienced Alexey Bugaychuk, who arrived at Dynamo M from Sintez a few months ago, was the best scorer of the final with three goals. He was the best scorer of the tournament (5 goals). Alexander Yatsenko (Baltika) was voted the MVP of the Final Four.
After today’s victory, Dynamo Moscow has 14 trophies of the national cup in its treasury (nine Russian Cups and five the Soviet Union Cups ).
The Russian Cup has been played since 1993. Spartak Volgograd is atop all winners’ list with 11 trophies, Dynamo Moscow won nine Russian Cups, Shturm-2002 has three trophies, Sintez Kazan two, etc.
Results of the 2019/20 Russian Cup quarterfinals (December – February)
Sintez-UOR Kazan – Dynamo Moscow (1st leg 5:11, and 2nd leg 9:11)
Sintez Kazan – Baltika Saint Petersburg (9:9 and 10:12)
Dynamo SSHOR Astrakhan Region – Shturm-2002 Ruzha (12:9 and 11:12)
COP Moskomsporta Moscow – Spartak Volgograd (5:14 and 10:14)
