Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Avangard Kursk 8th with 56 points, Sibir 18th with 37, 19 apart. The last five rounds placed Sibir 9th in the league for form — higher than their 18th in the standings. In league terms the two rates read 0.76/1.24 for Sibir and 1.29/1.11 for Avangard Kursk (scored/conceded per game); the competition average is 1.13.
The match was played at Stadion Spartak in Novosibirsk (capacity 12,500). Half-time and full-time told different stories: it was 0-0 at the break, before 1 more goal closed it at 1-0.