Baltika bt Ural in match of will to climb to top of First League ladder
Kaliningrad side claim dramatic win
Baltika Kaliningrad overcame FC Ural 2-1 in a pulsating encounter between two of the Russian First League’s top sides.
The hosts secured their third league win of the season, courtesy of second-half goals from strikers Giorgi Chelidze and Ilya Kalinin, to return to the summit of the division.
Baltika’s Georgian hitman broke the deadlock in the 54th minute with a sumptuous finish, before Kalinin leaped highest to head home the winner nine minutes from time.
Ural had taken the lead through Edgar Pribylsky just after the half-hour mark, but Baltika’s fighting spirit shone through in front of their home fans.
The visitors remain in second place, one point adrift of Baltika, with both sides having played 12 games so far this season.
Striking partnership proving fruitful for Baltika
Chelidze and Kalinin’s goalscoring exploits are a major reason for Baltika’s impressive start to the season.
The duo have now notched a combined 11 goals in the First League, with Kalinin netting seven times and Chelidze chipping in with four.
Both players have a keen eye for goal and have formed a potent partnership that is proving difficult for opposition defenses to handle.
Baltika’s defense holds firm under pressure
Baltika’s victory was all the more impressive considering they had to withstand a sustained period of pressure from Ural in the second half.
The visitors controlled possession and created several chances, but the Baltika defense stood firm and goalkeeper Anton Kochenkov made some crucial saves.
Baltika’s defensive resilience is another key factor in their success this season, and they have now conceded just seven goals in their 12 league games.
Baltika’s promotion prospects looking bright
With 12 games played, Baltika are now three points clear of third-placed Anzhi Makhachkala and four points ahead of fourth-placed Kuban Krasnodar.
The top two teams in the First League earn automatic promotion to the Russian Premier League, while the third-placed team enters a promotion/relegation playoff.
Baltika are in a strong position to secure one of the top two spots, and their promotion prospects are looking increasingly bright.
