Safonov’s first victory and Miranchuk’s problems. How did Russians spend the weekend abroad?
Nikita Paglazov October 1, 2024, 17:31 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
And Monaco and Golovin fight for first place with PSG.
Last weekend, the Russians did not shine much at the foreign championships. Although several players still contributed to their teams. We talk about our main foreign players and the games in which they participate.
Alexander Golovin (Monaco, France)
The Monaco captain was in the starting eleven for the matchday 6 of the French Championship against Montpellier. The Monegasques won 2:1. Golovin did not score any effective action and spent the entire 90 minutes on the field.
Alexander had one shot on goal, passed with 86% accuracy, and successfully dribbled twice. The Russian also won a single combat on horseback, took the ball three times and made a key pass. It is not the top, but it is a good game from Golovin.
Alejandro Golovin
Photo: Zuma/TASS
Matvey Safonov (PSG, France)
Safonov played his second match for PSG in Ligue 1. If in the last match the Parisians did not defeat Reims, in round 6 they faced Rennes (3-1). Matvey made four saves in 90 minutes and conceded a goal.
The Russian had the opportunity to leave the field with a clean sheet, but in the 75th minute he failed to stop the penalty taken by Arnaud Kalimuendo. Not a bad match from Safonov, but Matvey still doesn’t feel 100% confident. From time to time, instead of making a short pass to defenders, he prefers to carry the ball far forward. Although PSG coach Luis Enrique dogmatically demands that goalkeepers make plays and not shoot.
Matvey Safonov
Photo: Zuma/TASS
Daler Kuzyaev (Le Havre, France)
In the last round, Le Havre beat Lille at home with 0:3. Kuzyaev appeared on the field in the 59th minute: he won three aerial duels, made 76% of accurate passes (one key) and only made 20 touches of the ball.
Daler came on as a substitute when the score was 0:2. And Le Havre missed another goal on the field with the Russian. After six rounds, the team is in 14th place in the League 1 standings. It is only two points away from the relegation zone.
Daler Kuzyaev
Photo: Zuma/TASS
Fedor Chalov (PAOK, Greece)
On matchday 5, Chalov scored PAOK’s first goal, converting a penalty in the match against Volos (4-1). But in the last match, the Russian did not help the Thessaloniki club win the derby against Aris. Chalov appeared on the field in the 68th minute, but failed to equalize the score.
It should be noted that another Russian from PAOK, Magomed Ozdoev, also came on as a substitute in the 76th minute. The current Greek champions suffered their first defeat of the season and are in third place after six rounds.
Fyodor Chalov
Photo: EPA/TASS
Alexey Miranchuk (Atlanta United, USA)
Atlanta United has not won in three straight games. In the last match, the team tied with the Philadelphia Union. Miranchuk took the field from the start and spent the full 90 minutes on the field. Alexey acted usefully, but did not stand out for his effective actions. For the first time in three games, the Russian left the field without scoring a goal.
Atlanta is in 11th place in the MLS Eastern Conference, three points away from the playoff zone. There are three games left in the regular season. Will Miranchuk take Atlanta to the next stage?
Alexey Miranchuk
Photo: Imago/TASS
How other Russians played
Sion midfielder Anton Miranchuk played 65 minutes in the eighth round match of the Swiss championship against Zurich. The Russian could not help his team: the Sion Club lost by a minimum score.
Famalica goalkeeper Ivan Zlobin helped his team score a point in the match against Nacional. This is the Russian’s second consecutive clean sheet.
Bodø-Glimt defeated Kristiansund (4-0) in the match on matchday 24 of the Norwegian championship. Goalkeeper Nikita Khaikin spent all 90 minutes on the field.
Copenhagen striker Herman Onugha spent 55 minutes on the field in the match against his former team, Vejle. The Copenhagen team won away from home 2-1, but the Russian did not score.
In addition to Chalov and Ozdoev, winger Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov took the field in the PAOK-Aris match. The Russian appeared in the 74th minute and did not score a goal, but his team achieved an important away victory.
Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov
Photo: From Shapi’s personal archive.
AEL winger Daniil Lesovoy did not help his team win the matchday 5 of the Cyprus Championship against Omonia. The Russian spent 87 minutes on the field.
Red Star’s Russian midfielder Egor Prutsev played a full match against Železničar. Belgrade is a confident leader in the Serbian championship, six points (in terms of losses) ahead of OFK.
How the Russians played
Photo: Championship
who didn’t play
Arsen Zakharyan continues to recover from his injury. And Real Sociedad, without him, easily faced Valencia on matchday eight.
Goalkeeper Daniil Khudyakov remained on the Sturm bench in the match against Blau-Weiss. The Graz club, without a Russian in the centre, achieved an away victory.
And again Alexander Kokorin was left out of the Cypriot Aris’ candidacy for the match against Paphos. The forward is recovering from an injury. Aris coach Alexey Shpilevsky noted that Kokorin will return to the team after the international break.
Panathinaikos goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin remained in reserve for the match of the sixth round of the Greek championship against AEK.
Westerlo captain Roman Neustedter did not take the field in the matchday nine match. And his team unexpectedly beat Standard.
Urartu, without Russian striker Ivan Ignatiev, recorded a home victory over Noah.
