Rabiu’s Kuban fall to opening defeat

Mohammed Rabiu featured for 90 minutes as Kuban Krasnodar fell to a 2-0 defeat at home to Ural S.R.

The Cossacks’ clash with the Ural men rounded off the opening weekend of the Russian Premier League season, and Rabiu and co. will be disappointed to end gameweek one at the foot of the table.

The Ghana international played the full 90 minutes as one of Dmitri Khokhlov’s two central midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation, sticking with the approach that saw the side into tenth place last term.

Rabiu partnered Vladislav Kulik in the middle of the park, but the pair struggled to overcome their opposite numbers Aleksandr Sapeta and Roman Emelyanov.

The visitors opened the scoring 18 minutes before the end, when substitute Edgar Manucharyan found the net only four minutes after replacing Zambia international Chisamba Lungu.

The home side pushed for the equaliser, buoyed on by their home fans, but fell further behind on 92 minutes when Gerson Acevedo doubled the visitors’ lead.

25-year-old Rabiu endured a mixed campaign last season, making 21 appearances for Kuban—of which 17 were starts—but often finding himself behind Charles Kabore in the pecking order.

Kabore indicated his desire to leave Kuban earlier in the summer, and despite being linked with a move to both Besiktas and Fenerbahce, looks to be closing in on a move to Lokomotiv Moscow.

The Burkinabe star’s departure would increase Rabiu’s standing within the Cossack’s squad, even if his departure would come as a blow to Krasnodar.