CSKA Moscow make 10,300 mile away day round-trip to face SKA-Khabarovsk in bitter -22C Siberian wilderness
CSKA MOSCOW might get a few free flights out of their season – after making the 10,300-MILE round-trip to Siberia.
Viktor Goncharenko’s side won 4-2 at SKA-Khabarovsk after travelling the entire way across Russia’s vast wilderness to the Pacifc coast.
CSKA Moscow’s players had a training session before heading across the country on FridayTwitter/@pfc_cska
And it’s a good thing they took the plane, given the journey would take four DAYS to make on the roads, that would include passing close to the Himalayan state of Mongolia as well as Kazakhstan, while veering around the northernmost borders of China.
Khabarovsk is the administrative and economic centre of Russia’s easternmost region of Khabarovsk-Krai and lies just 19 miles from the Chinese border where the Amur River meets the Amurskaya Protoka.
Unsurprisingly, Khabarovsk is NOT one of the cities due to host games in next summer’s World Cup, given the hassle most teams would have getting there (apart from Japan).
And SKA-Kabarovsk were promoted to the Russian Premier League for the first time after winning promotion last term.
CSKA’s journey to face SKA-Khabarovsk would have taken four DAYS by road – but thankfully they flewGoogle MapsAs pointed out by the club’s Twitter feed, they had to get up at 4am Moscow time for the fixtureTwitter/@pfc_cskaCSKA Moscow’s players had a training session before heading across the country on FridayTwitter/@pfc_cskaCSKA fans awaited the team as they arrived in eastern RussiaTwitter/@pfc_cskaLenin Stadium in Kabarovsk awaited the visitorsTwitter/@pfc_cska
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CSKA – who are in the same Champions League group as Manchester United – held training in Moscow on Friday before getting the 7½-hour flight to Khabarovsk.
One of the bigger challenges with the journey is also jetlag – given there is a seven-hour time difference between the two cities.
And despite the temperatures being as low as -22C, Moscow prevailed in the end, overcoming the home side’s fifth-minute opener to win 4-2, thanks to goals from Alan Dzagoev, Pontus Wernbloom and Vitinho.
The result leaves CSKA third in the Russian Premier League with Khabarovsk rock bottom after 17 games.
CSKA Mosow are currently third in the Russian Premier League after 17 gamesManchester United beat CSKA Moscow 4-1 in the Champions League earlier this seasonGetty Images - Getty
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