Sunday, February 28, 2021 at 2:05 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 14:21

Quincy Promes’ return to Spartak Moscow did not go as he had hoped. The attacker, who came over from Ajax for at least 8.5 million euros, had a base place in the home game against Leonid Slutsky’s Rubin Kazan on Sunday afternoon. He played his first game in 919 days for Spartak, the number four in Russia. However, the game was lost 0-2; both teams received a red card. Jorrit Hendrix also had a basic place against the new number seven of the Premjer-Liga.

Spartak started the game as the favorite, but the proportions turned with a red card for Roman Zobnin in the injury time of the first half. The midfielder received a second yellow print after a foul on Denis Makarov. During the break trainer Andreas Hinkel van Spartak chose to take Hendrix to the side and to be replaced by Alex Kral. Rubin Kazan did not need long to take advantage of the red card: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia enabled Djordje Despotovic with a splitting pass to make the 0-1.

In the final phase, however, Rubin Kazan also had to continue with ten men. In the final phase, however, Rubin Kazan also had to continue with ten men. Midfielder Oliver Abildgaard fouls Alexander Sobolev and got his second yellow card. Spartak thought he would come alongside shortly afterwards, but Sobolev’s equalizer was rejected due to offside. One minute before time, Rubin Kazan decided the match. A long shot by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was blocked by keeper Aleksandr Maksimenko, but Despotovic determined the final score in the rebound.

Promes was on the field for ninety minutes. He was left half on paper, but could also often be found on the right flank. The winger, taken over from Ajax, tried to be involved in the game and was also wanted by his teammates. In the tenth minute, a shot from Promes missed the right direction; he also tried in particular to enter combinations with teammates and to pass his opponents. That went with varying degrees of success. Promes sent eight passes, two of which arrived at the destination. In the opening phase, he fell victim to a hefty foul trying to pass an opponent and Promes went to the grass moaning.