The Masters on Spartak's Victory
**The Masters on Spartak's Victory — Vecherniaia Moskva (Moscow), 9 September 1939
The day after the match, Moscow's evening paper Vechernyaya Moskva convened four order-bearing master-sportsmen to deliver their verdicts. The form is ritual — four authorities, four columns of measured assessment — but the substance is curiously thin. Each finds the play disappointing, the Spartak attack weak, the Dinamo half-back Frolov excellent. None mentions a disputed goal. All predict the same winner.
Original Source: Мастера о победе «Спартака». Вечерняя Москва от 9 сентября 1939 года
S. Ilyin, Order-Bearer.
— At the outset the match promised to be interesting. The hard, stubborn play, however, produced few sharp moments. The handful of combinations across the midfield came to nothing.
Spartak deservedly reached the final, despite not having shown any clear advantage yesterday. In the final it ought to win.
The best on the field were: for Spartak — the defender Vas. Sokolov and the forward Stepanov; for the Tbilisi side — the keeper Dorokhov, the right winger Dzhedzhelava, and the center-half Frolov.
P. Kanunnikov, Honored Master of Sport.
— An interesting, hard-fought match. Tbilisi Dinamo had the better of the initiative, that much could be felt. But it was Spartak who more often created the threatening moments at the opponents' goal.
The Tbilisi side are strong at half-back and in attack; Spartak has a good defense.
K. Blinkov, Honored Master of Sport.
— The "opponents" played an evenly matched game. The first half was more interesting than the second. The teams' failings — individualism and a defensive disposition. They avoided sharp situations and played without sufficient resolve.
As always, Spartak's defender Vas. Sokolov played well. Zhmel'kov defended the goal confidently and precisely. Of the Spartak forwards, regrettably, there is no one to single out.
For the Tbilisi side, the keeper Dorokhov played strongly, the center-half Frolov as well, and Paichadze not badly — though he overindulges in individual play.
The Cup will be won by Spartak.
E. Nikishin, Honored Master of Sport.
— One could have expected more from the match. The teams played timidly and did not fully reveal their mastery.
Spartak's attack played poorly; the defense, however, once again showed strong play.
The Tbilisi forwards played better and in the second half pressed Spartak hard. Their substantial shortcoming is poor finishing. The goal in Dinamo's net was scored through the fault of their own defense.
Who will be the winner of the Cup? In my opinion — Spartak.