Sochi secured a 2-1 home victory over Krylya Sovetov in the 26th round of the Russian Premier League on Tuesday, marking their third consecutive league win and lifting them to 18 points, still last in the table but now just four points clear of the relegation playoff zone.
The tactical shift that underpinned the turnaround came from head coach Igor Osinkin, who abandoned his customary formation in favor of a five-defender setup, a change highlighted by former CSKA Moscow midfielder Aleksandr Grishin on Match TV. Grishin noted that Osinkin recognized the quality of his fullbacks — Magal and Zaika — and adjusted accordingly, allowing the team to begin stringing together positive results after a demanding start to the season.
Grishin described the evolution: early struggles gave way to gradual improvement, with missed chances and bad luck eventually giving way to belief and momentum. “Now the luck has turned, the players believe in themselves. Osinkin did well. He moved away from his scheme and started playing with five defenders. He saw he had good wingbacks — Magal and Zaika. The team began to play well and deliver results,” he said on the program “All on Match!”
The victory was sealed in dramatic fashion. Substitute Anton Zin’kovsky, who entered in the 81st minute, drew a second-half red card for Krylya Sovetov’s Thomas Galdames after a confrontation following a hard foul. Minutes later, in the ninth minute of stoppage time, Zin’kovsky delivered a cross from the flank that Marcelo Alves headed in to win it — a goal Zin’kovsky likened to a hockey assist, saying Alves “stuck out his stick” at the far post.
Zin’kovsky admitted the timing was late but emphasized the psychological shift: “It’s a bit late, but we’re now on a good run — we’ve got a chance to stay up. Because of that, the atmosphere in the team has improved. I hope we keep winning.” He added that belief, once scarce after the first two wins, is now growing among players and staff alike, though he stressed that continued effort would be essential.
Former Lokomotiv Moscow coach Aleksandr Grigorian echoed the sentiment on Sportbox, calling the three-match winning streak a “feat” given how written off Sochi had been earlier in the campaign. “We saw a broken team, but they pulled themselves together with their minds and are showing not just results but quality play. The coach reflects the team. We see a combative Igor Osinkin. I’m not a skeptic, but I don’t believe Sochi will stay up,” he said, acknowledging the progress while remaining doubtful about long-term survival.
All three sources confirmed Sochi’s position: 18 points, 16th place, four points ahead of the playoff zone. Their next match is an away fixture against Dynamo Moscow on April 26, with live broadcasts available on Match TV, Match Premier, sportbox.ru, and matchtv.ru.
What tactical change did Osinkin make that coincided with Sochi’s winning streak?
Osinkin abandoned his usual formation and switched to a five-defender system, leveraging the strengths of wingbacks Magal and Zaika to improve defensive stability and overall team performance.
How did Sochi win the match against Krylya Sovetov?
Sochi won 2-1 with the decisive goal coming in the ninth minute of stoppage time when Anton Zin’kovsky crossed the ball and Marcelo Alves headed it in, a play Zin’kovsky compared to a hockey assist due to Alves’ positioning and timing.
What do experts say about Sochi’s chances of avoiding relegation despite the recent improvement?
While acknowledging the team’s improved form and belief, analysts like Aleksandr Grishin and Aleksandr Grigorian remain doubtful that Sochi can accumulate enough points to secure survival, noting the squad was still seen as unlikely to stay up even after the winning streak.