Will Dynamo stop Zenit and CSKA take revenge on Krasnodar? RPL fourth round intrigues
Kirill Zakatchenko August 8, 2024, 20:15 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Spartak will try to get back to winning ways, and Krylia Sovetov will try to break their losing streak.
The fourth round of the RPL starts on Friday, August 9, with two matches in a row. This weekend we will have two important matches: Zenit will host Dynamo and CSKA will face Krasnodar away from home. Spartak will try to extend the winning streak, and Krylya Sovetov will try to score the first points.
The Nizhny Novgorod club had such a bad start to the season that there was talk of Sasha Ilic’s impending dismissal as head coach. However, a week ago the situation changed slightly for the better. Paris NN defeated Dynamo Makhachkala away from home (1-0), although after the match everyone discussed not the result, but the work of Ian Bobrovsky’s refereeing team. “Khimki” scores in every round and last week even scored three points against “Rubin”. In addition, the team from the Moscow region showed character: they turned 1-2 into 3-2. In the last three direct confrontations, Khimki did not manage to win a single match.
There are many questions:
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Rubin has not beaten Rostov in the south of Russia since 2021. Since then, the rivals have met three times in the city on the Don, and each time the hosts won. The previous two matches, including the Cup, were not successful for Rostov: two defeats, not a single goal scored. “Rubin” travels to the south of Russia with a mini-series of two defeats in the RPL. First, the Kazan team “burned” in the match against Zenit (0:4), and then failed at home against Khimki (2:3). Which participant in the upcoming match will come to their senses faster and achieve a positive result?
Before the start of the season, many doubted that Lokomotiv would be able to compete. The team lost Anton Miranchuk and Maxim Glushenkov, but did not receive adequate replacements. However, the railwaymen are looking pretty good so far: three wins in four matches in all tournaments. In the last round of the RPL, the red-greens defeated Akhmat in Grozny (5-0), and 19-year-old Alexei Batrakov scored 4 (1+3) points using the goal+pass system. What about Dynamo Makhachkala? The modest team did not manage to win a single game and scored only two points. However, she has never lost on the road.
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The main match of the fourth round, the most anticipated match of the first month in the RPL. Zenit looks very solid: three wins in three matches, 13 goals scored and none conceded. It is not surprising that some experts are already giving the title to the blue and whites. Dynamo is not losing points yet either, although it wins with a little less confidence than the tournament leader. Last season, the blue and whites beat a formidable rival three times, but now Zenit is performing at a cosmic level. Will Dynamo force the reigning champion to fight?
Orenburg played the previous match against CSKA without much success. The trip to the capital resulted in a defeat for David Deografica’s team by 1:5. In the new season of the RPL, Orenburg missed the first goals and suffered its first defeat. Akron, on the other hand, occupies the ninth place in the Russian championship standings. Zaur Tedeev’s team defeated Fakel away (2:0), but otherwise always loses. On the other hand, it has already met quite serious rivals: Dynamo Moscow and Lokomotiv.
The teams met a week ago in Krasnodar. True, it was in the Russian Cup. Then the “bulls” beat their rival (1-0) and inflicted their only defeat this season. On the other hand, CSKA looks good in the championship: third place in the table, seven points, eight goals scored. But Krasnodar had a very difficult start in the RPL. On the one hand, Murad Musaev’s team did not lose to anyone. On the other hand, it does not have a single victory. If we take into account that the Bulls’ rivals were Akhmat, Dynamo Makhachkala and Fakel, the Krasnodar fans probably feel even sadder. Will CSKA take revenge for the cup defeat? For the military, a trip to Krasnodar is a difficult test. They have not won there since 2017.
Hug and cry:
Stories
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Wings of the Soviets had a very bad start to the new season. The time has come when Igor Osinkin’s team has fallen to the last place in the table. The Samara team has problems both in attack (only one goal scored) and in defence (10 goals conceded). However, so far Wings have played with quite serious rivals – Zenit, Rostov and Spartak. Fakel is a simpler opponent. Moreover, it performs very little better than Wings – one point after three rounds. Last week, Igor Cherevchenko’s team did not lose in the match against Krasnodar (0-0). By the way, Fakel has never won in Samara.
The last match of the tour will take place in the capital: Spartak will host Akhmat. The red-and-whites came to their senses after the defeat in Orenburg (0:2). They then successively beat Khimki (3:1), Dynamo Moscow (3:0) and Krylia Sovetov (3:0). The derby was played in the Russian Cup, all other matches in the RPL. Will Stankovic’s team extend their winning streak? Akhmat has not yet managed a single victory in the RPL, and in the 3rd round they lost at home to Lokomotiv (0:5). The Grozny club has recently had problems in away games against Spartak. Akhmat has not won at home since 2018.
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