The long-awaited first resignation in the RPL has been postponed. The RPL’s main outsider suddenly came to life
Anatoly Romanov August 9, 2024, 20:40 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
The newcomer from Nizhny helped the team win for the second time in a row. Now, on to Khimki.
In the first match of the fourth round of the RPL, Paris NN defeated Khimki at home. The team from Nizhny Novgorod, which was abandoned after a terrible start to the season, won the second match in a row.
Just a couple of days after his move from Krasnodar, defender Ektov entered the starting line-up of Paris NN, taking the position of right-back in the 5-4-1 formation. He needed only 18 minutes to score his first goal for Sasa Ilic’s team. However, even before that, in the opening of the game, the goal was almost arranged by another newcomer – Khimki centre-back Gogua, who was playing his second match for the Moscow region club. And against our own goals. The Ivorian made a “save” in the last round, but he could repeat it in this one. Cedric made a terrible back pass – the ball flew towards the goal and also bounced off. Goalkeeper Obukhov prevented the goal with enormous difficulty. He kicked the ball as it fell.
Overall, Paris NN was more specific in attack with the score 0-0. The home team won the fight for the initiative. At the end of the third of the first half, there was a set-piece played by Ilic: Paris NN players put on guards and Kakkoev ran to the right spot in the center of the penalty area and shot freely from 10 meters. But he did not execute it. Then Ektov launched a shot behind the three central defenders, Ozhegovich broke away one-on-one and shot past Obukhov into the far bottom corner.
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The Serbian newcomer scored his first goal for Paris NN. The incident was reviewed by VAR due to a suspicion of offside. It turned out that Khimki’s Panamanian signing Fariña broke the offside line by stretching out his leg. Throwing Ozegovic behind his back is obviously part of Ilic’s plan against the rather high defensive line of Frank Artiga’s team. Once again, his one-on-one didn’t happen only because his teammate cut off the pass a little harder than necessary.
For Khimki, something started clicking on the front only after conceding the goal. Before the break, the resulting superteam between Khimki Vera and Zabolotny worked twice. The Argentinean launched the ball from deep in the penalty area, and the central striker skilfully broke away from Gotsuk or another guard and shot at goal from good positions. In one case, the ball went close to the post, in another, goalkeeper Medvedev saved. In general, Khimki’s attack was not the same as Kazan’s.
After the break, the centre of defence of Paris NN was renewed by two thirds. Tikhiy was injured and the Serbian coach changed Gotsuk, apparently because the captain was on the card and was about to be sent off. At the beginning of the second half, the home defence collapsed. Zabolotny with a subtle pass put Magomedov in a lethal position, but he spared his opponent. However, Magkeev, who came on as a substitute (he came on in place of Gotsuk), played competently: he pushed his opponent to get him out of the way and not get a penalty.
Otherwise, the Nizhny Novgorod team defended itself quite successfully. At least Khimki did not have 100% chances of scoring, although I remember Zabolotny’s dribble – Medvedev managed it. Ilic’s team effectively closed the flanks – there were no dangerous crosses from the full-backs Fernandez and Orinho. After an hour of play, Artiga threw Mirzov and Bakaev into the battle, taking one of the defenders, Gogua, out of the game. It was necessary to open up and take risks.
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In reality, Pari NN had no counterattack. And replacing Ozhegovich with the speedy Ze Turbo changed little in this regard. Khimki pressed the home team harder and harder on their goal. Magomedov shot diagonally from 25 meters, hitting the crossbar! Mirzov added feints in Medvedev’s box, Glushakov added brutality.
As a result, Khimki almost doubled the number of shots against Pari NN (17:9), but Artiga’s team scored only three times (the hosts – twice). The match came to nothing in the end. Defender Filin had the last chance to score from a set piece. He hit his head in the fight with the opponent. Medvedev saved again – a great game for the Nizhny Novgorod goalkeeper.
