Match Report
19 points separated the sides: Makhachkala 2nd on 61, Neftekhimik 11th on 42. Neftekhimik had been under-performing their position — 16th on five-round form against 11th in the table.
Neftekhimik's unbeaten run stood at 13, having scored in 6 consecutive games. The last-five ledger: Neftekhimik 13/15, Makhachkala 7/15.
I. Sidenkov officiated: 29 games logged, averaging 1.5 yellow cards each. The match was played at Stadion Rubin in Kazan' (capacity 3,000). Half-time and full-time told different stories: Makhachkala led 1-0 at the break, before 2 more goals closed it at 0-3.