Lokomotiv on track for success

By Eduard Nisenboim & Pavle Gognidze

FC Lokomotiv Moskva are the nearly men of Russian football after finishing as Russian Primera-Liga runners-up for three successive seasons.

Second best
Worse, however, is the fact that they have finished second best to archrivals FC Spartak Moskva on each occasion. In 1999 they ended the season seven points behind; in 2000 they were eight points adrift; and in 2001 Spartak won the title by four points.

Domestic domination
Yet, in that time, Lokomotiv have been growing ever more confident in Europe, reaching the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals in 1997/98 and 1998/99, as well as beating the likes of Real Madrid CF and RSC Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League last season. This season Yuri Semin's side are tantalisingly close to breaking Spartak's domestic domination – with six games to play, Lokomotiv are five points ahead of Spartak with a game in hand. And the two sides meet on Thursday in a make-or-break match for Lokomotiv.

Stable side
Lokomotiv are traditionally the poorest and least successful side fom the capital. They have fewer followers than any other Moscow club and, crucially, the railwaymen have never won the title. Yet in just ten years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Lokomotiv are among the most stable and organised of Russian teams.

Cautious approach
Under the guidance of chairman Valeri Filatov and Semin, Lokomotiv have been cautious in the transfer market and enjoyed continuity at the highest level. Semin has been at the club since 1986, except for a one-year break in 1991 when he worked in New Zealand. Filatov has been chairman since 1992 and was coach of the team in Semin's absence.

Young talent
Lokomotiv's ability to uncover and nurture young talent has been key. Over recent years they have included the likes of midfield player Aleksei Smertin, goalkeeper Ruslan Nigmatullin and Marat Izmailov, one of the most talented young Russian players who emerged from the Lokomotiv ranks in 2001. They are also shrewd buyers, bringing in the likes of South African international Jacob Lekcetho and Nigeria's James Obiorah.

Major changes
And the chairman and coach are not afraid of change. Nigmatullin and captain Igor Chugainov, Georgian international Zaza Janashia and key defender Igor Tcherevchenko were all offloaded in pre-season. Goalkeeper Sergey Ovchinnikov, Julio Cesar, Baba Adamu and Narvik Sirkhaev were brought in take their place.

Solid defence
Lokomotiv's defence is their strength. In 23 league games this season, Ovchinnikov, aided by Russian internationals Gennadi Nizhegorodov, Sergei Ignashevich and Dmitri Sennikov, have let in only eight goals. And this has helped them against their rivals. Spartak were beaten 2-1 in the previous encounter between the sides thanks to a brace from Ruslan Pimenov and PFC CSKA Moskva were beaten 1-0 and held to a scoreless draw in the return fixture.

'More intrigue'
In Semin's opinion, his team will be playing for all of Russia when they take on Spartak on Thursday. “It is bad for everyone when champions stay the same for many years in a row," he said. "The more teams that are challenging, the more intrigue there is and the more interest there is in the championship."