On the 28th day of the Armenian Premier League Pyunik was hosted by Gandzasar-Kapan.

The match was marked by the fact that after Andrei Talalaev’s leave our team was headed by Russian famous specialist Aleksandr Tarkhanov, who had officially been appointed Pyunik’s head coach a few days ago.

Unlike the last match against Ararat 6 changes were made at once in Pyunik’s starting lineup; from the first minutes of the match Vitali Stezhko, Denis Talalay, Usman Mohamed, Erik Vardanyan, Serob Grigoryan and Robert Hakobyan entered the pitch instead of Armen Manucharyan, Sergei Kolichev, Vyacheslav Dmitriev, Rumyan Hovsepyan, Maksim Trusevich and Sergei Shevchuk. Serob Grigoryan and Robert Hakobyan appeared in Pyunik’s starting lineup for the first time this year.

The first dangerous moment was created by the home team; Gevorg Ohanyan sent the ball to our team’s penalty area by a corner pass, and after Ashot Karapetyan’s header the ball flew over the goalpost.

On the 14th minute Pyunik organized a fine attack but Alik Arakelyan’s last pass from the right wing was a little high.

And on the 18th minute Robert Hakobyan broke the rules of the game in the own penalty area in the struggle with Gevorg Ohanyan and the referee showed the penalty mark. But to the joy of Pyunik, Andrija Dragoevich could guess the direction of the shot and saved his team with a fine jump.

On the 32nd minute after Usman’s corner kick Maksim Zhestokov was close to success, but the kick passed by.

On the 39th minute a very dangerous moment was created at Pyunik’s goal when Rupia’s close-distance shot, luckily, was high.

At the end of the first half our team’s midfielder Alik Arakelyan got an injury and Sergei Shevchuk continued the match instead of him.

Apart from the penalty kick to Pyunik’s goal the first half lacked real goal moments and as the match showed later, the important moments were played after the break.

In the second half the first moment was staged by Gandzasar-Kapan’s footballers but Vbeimar Angulo’s long range kick was inaccurate and, besides, the situation was under Andrija Dragoevich’s control.

After the interval our team was transformed and became acting more aggressively. Instead of Karlen Mkrtchyan Rumyan Hovsepyan entered the arena.

On the 63rd minute after Sergei Shevchuk’s pass from the left wing Erik Vardanyan hurried towards the ball but fell down during the struggle against a defender and it seemed that the opponent pushed him but the referee’s whistle was silent in that episode.

On the 71st minute after out team’s kick from a standard position a massy situation was created at Gandzasar-Kapan’s penalty area but the hosts could block the ball.

15 minutes before the end of the match Pyunik had a perfect opportunity to advance in the score when Arthur Miranyan entered the attacking line but the ball passed by the vertical post and flew out of the pitch.

And on the 83rd minute Arthur Miranyan faced alone Grigor Meliksetyan and after his shot Gandzasar-Kapan’s goalkeeper who was out of the goalpost prevented the ball with a hand and got a red card from the referee. And as Gandzasar-Kapan had already made all replacements Gevorg Nranyan assumed the goalkeeper’s role.

The free kick was accomplished by Rumyan Hovsepyan but it gave no result.

The match tension reached its pick and on the last minute Pyunik was trying to steal a win at any cost and had completely surrounded the opponent’s penalty area.

A minute before the end of the game the ball miraculously escaped Gandzasar-Kapan’s goal when after Serob Gevorgyan’s long distance hit the ball rebounded from the post and after the rebound Rumyan Hovsepyan shot so weakly that the ball hit the opponent’s defenders.

Immediately after dropping a wonderful opportunity our team could have been punished severely when Gegham Harutyunyan at high speed bypassed Vitali Stezhko and met with Andrija Dragoevich but after his kick the ball appeared out of the pitch.

Aleksandr Tarkhanov feeling the importance of 3 points during the extra time replaced defender Vitali Stezhko with forward Lasina Dao who was a breakthrough in this match and soon proved it.

On the 4rd added minute in one of the last attacks of Pyunik Sergei Shevchuk passed the ball to the penalty area and Lasina Dao managed to send it to Gandzasar-Kapan’s goal with a header and bring 3 important points to his team.

In the debut match of the new head coach, Aleksandr Tarkhanov, Pyunik played the second half of the match very actively and gaining quantitative advantage scored a victorious goal which was realized by 2 substitute footballers.