Preview: Russian Premier League. Matchday 17
After a month-long pause and several preludes in the form of the Russian Cup matches and a delayed league game, the Russian championship is finally resumed. Since the day of their last meeting with the fans the Premier League clubs managed to fire another portion of coaches and to provoke dozens of transfer rumors whether intentionally or not. Some of them have even launched a massive upgrade of their line-ups. However, the results of all these activities won’t be seen in the pitch during the next two weeks: the summer transfer period in Russia won’t be officially open until August.
But the fans – both those who have been missing matches like Spartak Nalchik versus Krasnodar and those who have been cheating on them with Copa America – will have something to look at even before the world-famous newcomers enter the field. It is unlikely that even a month’s break can put the Russian championship off one’s absurdist stride, so the succession of lie detectors, bananas, stun guns will certainly continue.
Match of the day
Anzhi Makhachkala – Zenit St. Petersburg. During the summer break both teams were among the main heroes of the news articles about possible transfers. Balazs Dzsudzsak’s example has proved that the name of the Russian club may be easily put next to an expensive star, which inspired the media to link to Anzhi all the players described as «awfully promising and awfully expensive», Neimar, Ganso, Hulk, Pastore, and Vucinic being among them. The St. Petersburg club were more modest, confining themselves to the likes of Adebayor and Di Natale.
Zenit easily defeated Roberto Carlos’ eleven, having provoked the talks that Anzhi’s ambitions are not only too big, but also quite unfounded. Now it is only one victory separates the teams. And now comes the best opportunity for Anzhi to win in their own stadium with a newly lain pitch? After the defeat at the hands of CSKA Moscow the Makhachkala’s club ability to keep up with the leaders came under question. Today’s match may well be the answer to this one. However, Zenit also need a victory: the gap between them and CSKA could become two-digit if they lose.
Worth having a look
Volga Nizhny Novgorod – Spartak Moscow. Despite the fact that both teams are not setting the Thames on fire now and have recently began the reshaping of their game and line-ups, pre-match tension is not going to be lower here than in Makhachkala. However, its reasons are quite far from football itself.
The case of Zenit striker Danko Lazovic being attacked by a policeman with a stun gun required so many Nizhny Novgorod officials to sweep it under the rug, that it already deserves an American-style name: «Danko Lazovic vs. State of Nizhny Novgorod». Moreover, the local police have a long history of bad relationships with Spartak fans, who are expected to arrive as many as eight thousand, so accidents before, during, or after the match are not excluded.
Debuts
Yury Krasnozhan’s successor at Lokomotiv Moscow is Portuguese, his name is Jose, and he has worked at Porto – but still the Russian fans know him much less than Mourinho. Jose Couceiro will have to prove his abilities in regular matches, starting with Amkar Perm and despite the skepticism of the public.
The new leader of Samara «kindergarten» Andrey Kobelev will bring it on a trip to Moscow to visit CSKA. CSKA have easily scored three goals in first leg in Samara, and as long as Krylia Sovetov do not strengthen their squad, they have all the chances to step on the same rake.
Sergey Balakhnin has been appointed as FC Rostov head coach for the sixth (!) time – which makes it hard to call him a real newcomer. Fortunately, the staff of the Rostov club will soon include Hristo Stoichkov and Igor Gamula as well, which makes for a full-fledged debut.
Keep an eye on
Dynamo Moscow – best team of the league in June – will be hosted by Rostov in the presence of the great Bulgarian player and the club’s possible employee Hristo Stoichkov. How will it affect Adamov, Kalachyov & Co?
Bet of the day
Spartak Moscow will beat Volga with an odd of 2.00. Already without Martsvaladze and still without newcomers Volga are quite defeatable even for still depressed Spartak.
Quote
«Do you know what is the best proof [that Premier League President Sergey Pryadkin, accused of illegal agency activities, is innocent – Sports.ru]? The position of the Premier League clubs. If there was something illegal, the clubs would immediately react. But the Premier League supported their president,» said Sergey Fursenko, the Russian FA president, explaining the barrage of identiv supportive letters issued by the clubs and allegedly inspired by the RPL executive director Sergey Cheban.
Figure
257 days – or eight and a half months – have passed since Carlos Eduardo, the most expensive Rubin player ever, has been fielded in an official match. The Brazilian is still recovering from a knee injury and it seems that this may last for a full year.
Terek Grozny – Rubin Kazan
July 22. Akhmat Arena (Grozny), 19.45 MSK
Referee: Alexey Eskov (Moscow)
Injuries: Mguni,Essame, Edilov / Carlos Eduardo, Ryazantsev, Orekhov, Kuzmin.
Suspensions: Dzhanaev / C. Navas
Terek line-up (Sports.ru version): Godzyur – Utsiev, Ferreira, Omelyanchuk, Zengue – Georgiev, Mauricio, Pavlenko, Gvazava – Bracamonte, Asildarov.
Rubin line-up (Sports.ru version): Ryzhikov – Kaleshin, Bocchetti, Sharonov, Ansaldi – Kasaev, Natkho, Noboa, Karadeniz – Medvedev, Dyadyun.
First leg score: 0:2
Last matches: – – + + = / = + + + -
Odds by Marathon Betting: Terek – 3.55, draw – 3.15, Ruby – 2.32.
Kuban Krasnodar – Tom Tomsk
July 23. Kuban Stadium (Krasnodar), 20.00 MSK.
Referee: Yury Baskakov (Moscow)
Injuries: Kulik / Tigorev, Kim.
Suspensions: none.
Kuban line-up (Sports.ru version): Budakov – Kozlov, Armas, Zelao, Zhavnerchik – Bucur, Skvernyuk, Tlisov, Urena, Maksimov – Davydov.
Tom line-up (Sports.ru version): Pesyakov – Gultyaev, Sabitov, Jokic, Skoblyakov – Golyshev, Bazhenov, Balyaikin, K. Kovalchuk – Starikov, Kanunnikov.
First leg score: 1:0
Last matches: + – – – + / = = – = -
Odds by Marathon Betting: Kuban – 1.78, draw – 3.45, Tom – 5.60.
Volga Nizhny Novgorod – Spartak Moscow
July 24. Lokomotiv Stadium (Nizhny Novgorod), 16.45 MSK.
Referee: Vladimir Kazmenko (Rostov-on-Don)
Injuries: Plesan, Yashin / McGeady, Parshivlyuk
Suspensions: none.
Volga line-up (Sports.ru version): Astakhov – Gaal, Buivolov, Salukvadze, Grigalava – Tursunov, Adzhindzhal, Shulenin, Crosas, Getigezhev – Khazov.
Spartak Moscow line-up (Sports.ru version): Dikan – Makeyev, Rodriguez, Suchy, D. Kombarov – K. Kombarov, Sheshukov, R. Carioca, Ananidze – Welliton, Dzyuba.
First leg score: 0:1
Last matches: + – – – + / = = + – +
Odds by Marathon Betting: Volga – 4.15, draw – 3.45, Spartak – 2.00.
Lokomotiv Moscow – Amkar Perm
July 24. Lokomotiv Stadium (Moscow), 18.45 MSK.
Referee: Stanislav Sukhina (Malakhovka)
Injuries: Amelchenko / Narubin
Suspensions: Durica / Belorukov
Lokomotiv line-up (Sports.ru version): Guilherme – Shishkin, Burlak, Ilic, Yanbaev – Ignatiev, Ozdoev, Loskov, Glushakov – Sychev, Maicon.
Amkar line-up (Sports.ru version): Khamutovsky – Sirakov, Cherenchikov, Popov, Fedoriv – Peev, Kolomeitsev, Novakovic, Burmistrov – Djalovic, Mijic.
First leg score: 0:1
Last matches: = + – – – / – + = + -
Odds by Marathon Betting: Lokomotiv – 1.58, draw – 3.80, Amkar – 7.40.
Spartak Nalchik – FC Krasnodar
July 24. Spartak Stadium (Nalchik), 19.15 MSK.
Referee: Sergey Karasyov (Moscow)
Injuries: Jovanovic, Pomazan, Berkhamov / Shipitsin, Martynovich.
Suspensions: none.
Spartak Nalchik line-up (Sports.ru version): Fredrikson – Lebedev, Ovsienko, Djudovic, Bagaev – Leandro, Kontsedalov, Zahirovic, Siradze – Portnyagin, Goshokov.
Krasnodar line-up (Sports.ru version): Gorodov – Vranjes, Amisulashvili, Tubic, Andzhelkovic – Tatarchuk, Kulchiy, Marcio, Drincic, Zhoaozinho – Movsisyan.
First leg score: 0:2
Last matches: – – – – + / + + + – =
Odds by Marathon Betting: Spartaka Н – 2.32, draw – 3.20, Krasnodar – 3.50.
Rostov Rostov-on-Don – Dynamo Moscow
July 24. Olimp-2 Stadium (Rostov-on-Don), 20.00.
Referee: Vladislav Bezborodov (St.-Petersburg)
Injuries: Lejsal, Radic / Dujmovic
Suspensions: none / Kokorin.
Rostov line-up (Sports.ru version): Kochenkov- Khagush, Zivanovic, Salata, Khokhlov – Kalachyov, Yankov, Gatcan, Grigoriev, Chesnauskis – Adamov.
Dynamo line-up (Sports.ru version): Shunin – Wilkshire, Fernandez, Granat, Lomic – Samedov, Sapeta, Semshov, Karyaka – Voronin, Kuranyi.
First leg score: 1:3
Last matches: – – – = – / = – + + +
Odds by Marathon Betting: Rostov – 4.55, draw – 3.45, Dynamo – 1.92.
Anzhi Makhachkala – Zenit St. Petersburg
July 24. Stadium Dynamo (Makhachkala), 21.00 MSK.
Referee: Maxim Layushkin (Moscow)
Injuries: Boussoufa, Tardelli, Lakhiyalov, Jucilei / V. Bystrov, Zhevnov
Suspensions: none.
Anzhi line-up (Sports.ru version): Revishvili – Angbwa, Tagirbekov, Joao Carlos, Agalarov – Akhmedov, Kebe, Roberto Carlos – Ivanov, Prudnikov, M. Gadzhiev.
Zenit line-up (Sports.ru version): Malafeev – Anyukov, B. Alves, Meira, Hubocan – Zyryanov, Denisov, Shirokov – Danny, Kerzhakov, Lazovic.
First leg score: 0:2
Last matches: + – = + = / = + + + =
Odds by Marathon Betting: Anzhi – 3.50, draw – 3.25, Zenit – 2.28.
CSKA Moscow – Krylia Sovetov Samara
July 25. Arena Khimki (Khimki), 19.30 MSK.
Referee: Igor Yegorov (Nizhny Novgorod)
Injuries: M. Gonzalez, Shchennikov, Necid / Jozeph-Reinette, Kuznetsov, Molosh.
Suspensions: none.
CSKA line-up (Sports.ru version): Akinfeev – Nababkin, Ignashevich, V. Berezutsky, A. Berezutsky – Sekou, Mamayev, Dzagoev, Tosic – Doumbia, Vagner Love.
Krylia Sovetov line-up (Sports.ru version): Yurchenko – Tsallagov, Taranov, Djordjevic, Novitsky – Bobyor, Sosnin, Priyomov, Yeliseyev – Pecnik, Savin.
First leg score: 3:0
Last matches: + + + + + / – + – – -
Odds by Marathon Betting: CSKA – 1.20, draw – 6.60, Krylia Sovetov – 14.00.