Parks pounces to down Dynamo

Lively game
In a lively game where there were more shots than fouls, Maksim Buznikin and Sergei Ignashevitch found their goals cancelled out by Valentin Belkevich and Maksim Shatskikh, but Parks struck only six minutes after coming to leave his side knowing victory at Arsenal FC on 10 December will take them through.

Buznikin brought in
Both sides' domestic campaigns have ended for the year, but Russia's UEFA EURO 2004™ play-off had kept Lokomotiv's Sergei Ovchinnikov, Ignashevitch, Dmitri Loskov, Vadim Evseev and Dmitri Sennikov in action, and Dynamo played a two-legged Ukrainian Cup tie against FC Illichivets Mariupil last week, winning 9-0 on aggregate. Lokomotiv brought in Buznikin for Marat Izmailov to support striker Mikheil Ashvetia, while for Dynamo Diogo Rincón replaced the suspended Jerko Leko, and Goran Sablic and Yuriy Dmytrulin came in for Georgi Peev and Serhiy Fedorov,

Visitors ambitious
Dynamo knew a victory could take them into the last 16, and began in hungry fashion. Shatskikh was especially busy in attack, while Rincón shot wide after ten minutes. Shatskikh and Dmytrulin then had long-range efforts not far off target, while Lokomotiv captain and goalkeeper Ovchinnikov was having to produce the same fine form he had shown here ten days ago against Wales. Ashvetia then broke through but was forced wide by Dynamo goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy and his shot found the side-netting.

Lokomotiv ahead
Ovchinnikov then made an important save from Tiberiu Ghioane, as Shatskikh's follow-up deflected wide and Rincón's header from the resultant corner was off-target. Lokomotiv took full advantage minutes later to go ahead. The diminutive Buznikin, making his first Champions League start of the season, ran on to Dmitri Khokhlov's through-ball and beat Shovkovskiy from ten metres.

Captain levels
The visitors were briefly shocked, but Valentin Belkevich then forced Ovchinnikov to save and, within nine minutes of conceding, Dynamo were level. After a typically fine passing move, Ghioane's cross was headed into the path of Belkevich by Gusev, and the Dynamo captain's strong half-volley powered into the net.

Powerful penalty
However, even though Dynamo began to reassert their control, it was Lokomotiv who went in ahead at the break. As the half entered added time, Buznikin picked up the ball after a corner and was felled in the box by Dmytrulin. Ignashevitch's penalty into the top right-hand corner was emphatic.

Dynamo equalise again
Lokomotiv were determined to keep things tight in the second period and Dynamo found themselves with little room in the opposition half. Indeed, the home team almost seemed comfortable in their lead when Shatskikh scored the goal his performance merited. And it was a delightful finish, a little lift over the diving Ovchinnikov from close range after Dmytrulin's low cross from the right.

Late winner
Now both teams fancied their chances of winning and picking up those valuable extra points ahead of Matchday 6. In the last ten minutes, Ovchinnikov denied Shatskikh, and Buznikin turned and shot wide moments before being replaced by Parks. Not long afterwards, the Costa Rican international pounced on a loose ball in the area after Evseev's cross was helped on its way by Vladimir Maminov and Ashvetia to send the Lokomotiv stadium into raptures.