Snow fire, or the Mystery of the stolen zero: "Golden season with BipKar" in Tula

Spartak played the last away match before the winter break in Tula against the local Arsenal. Of course, we also showed up in the world gingerbread capital as part of the Golden Season with BipKar project. Impressions from the trip were reflected in the report.

The road turned out to be surprisingly relaxed. We flew 180 kilometers from Kievsky railway station to the center of Tula in two hours with a tail. On Friday morning there were no traffic jams at the exit from Moscow, and the federal highway M2 pleased with decent asphalt and almost complete absence of traffic. It is understandable: everyone goes to the south along the neighboring M4, and the M2 leading to the Crimea is not very in demand right now.

In a word, the Tula departure is the most comfortable in the entire championship from the point of view of logistics. Even getting to the Khimki stadium is more dreary. You make your way across that bridge near the MKAD at the speed of a pregnant turtle, and then there's nowhere to park. And then as you pressed the gas pedal, you don't let it go for two hours.

The capital's guests in Tula were expected with caution. Six months ago, when Spartak arrived here in the status of champion, fan happiness was gushing over the edge. So this time the law enforcement agencies blew on the water. There were still five hours left before the match, and groups of riot police were already stationed in the vicinity of the stadium.

Our red and white roses naturally attracted their attention. The guards asked where we came from, what we were on, and threatened with a blacklist if we messed up. They also asked what the bill would be, and let them go in peace. We answered diplomatically: "1:1 in favor of Spartak." Although in fact, of course, they were betting on winning.

There were not so few signs of an impending match. As soon as we got out on the introductory promenade along the main street, a familiar rhythm was heard from the roadway: "Pam-pam! Pa-ra-pam! Para-para-pam-pam!" Which in translation from football means: "Well, well! Just like that! Spartak wins!" And soon Spartak itself appeared. The fashionable scarlet bus on Lenin Avenue looked somewhat unorganized. Almost like Philip Kirkorov at the Bottom of the city in Kislovodsk.

We visited Tula at a bad time to judge her attractiveness, so we will refrain from labeling her. The streets seem to be clean and relatively well-groomed, but there is no urban unity in them. A nice business center with blue windows is adjacent to some dirty brick warehouse, a new residential complex with a two-storey building of unknown purpose. In general, two-storey houses in the central district are overwhelmingly. Obviously, this is still pre-revolutionary architecture.

Although you know, such squat, albeit too motley, streets are better than the endless rows of Khrushchev's five—story buildings, with which most provincial cities are clogged. Tula, maybe, does not delight, but it does not make you sad either. And that's not bad.

To give meaning to our excursion, we looked into the Arsenal company store. The branded store turned out to be a five-by-five-meter nook, but with a view of the main square and the regional government building. In addition to the monument to Ilyich and an artificial Christmas tree, an art object for the World Cup was discovered on the square. However, zero from the installation was missing for some reason. Well, nothing, there won't be a championship in Tula anyway.

Arsenal Stadium is a 15-minute walk from Lenin Square. The last time Spartak scored here was when Viktor Onopko still had hair — in 1994. Since then, it seems that the arena has not changed much. Although it has an important advantage: the parking space is in two accounts. By the way, Tula became the first city for the entire time of the "Golden Season in BipKar" project, where no one paid attention to our Subaru with a screaming inscription on the rear window: "We came to win." It's a pity, we think we are provocateurs.

The match itself turned out to be colorful. Merciless December heartily watered the field with something between rain and snow, and by the second half the ball began to get stuck in puddles. The quality of football was appropriate. But in the fan sector, as always, it was fun. In the absence of goals scored, the guys began to burn flares for no reason. I can't take it home. The field was already poorly visible because of the pillars sticking out right in the middle of the grandstand, and here the whole world was plunged into red smoke.

Therefore, at the very right moment, when Glushakov managed to send the ball into the net, unused flares were no longer available. After all, it was already the 90th minute. Three points, which could no longer be believed, suddenly fell into a red and white pocket. But the pleasant surprises did not end there. We were released from the stadium almost immediately after the final whistle. In general, everything turned out as well as possible.

(Our other streams can be viewed in the archive)

The "Golden season with BipKar" goes on winter holidays. We plan to return to the cup match with the Wings at the end of February. Wait for the announcement and fill out your profile in more detail in the BeepCar travel companion search service if you want to keep us company on future trips.

*BeepCar is a service through which drivers offer free seats in cars, and passengers are looking for those who are on the way. The cost of gasoline is shared by fellow travelers. Download a convenient app for iPhone/iPad and Android or use the website.