Spartak’s fast start is too much for Dinamo. September 23 round-up

23 September 2018

Dinamo Riga 1 Spartak Moscow 3 (0-3, 0-0, 1-0)

Spartak travelled to Latvia buoyed by a 6-1 win over Traktor in its previous game and reassured by the fact that, despite Dinamo’s bright start to the season, it had not won against the Red-and-Whites since 2015.

A strong first period from the visitor ensured that streak was extended. Everything Spartak attempted seemed to come off, and by the first intermission it was 3-0 to the Muscovites. Home goalie Kristers Gudlevskis had been replaced and the outcome of the game was all but settled.

First, Maxim Trunyov went around the back and set up Anatoly Nikontsev for the opening goal. Then, within a minute of each other, Robin Hanzl and Alexander Khokhlachyov extended the visitor’s advantage.

It stayed that way until early in the third period when an error from Spartak goalie Julius Hudacek gifted Linus Videll a goal that offered Dinamo a way back into the game. However, the Slovak stopper atoned for that mistake to ensure that the points went back to Moscow.