The Russian Premier League (RPL) season has commenced with a bang, as the opening round saw surprising outcomes: favorites dropped points, while newcomers made their mark. Zenit staged a comeback after trailing in the first half, Spartak set a new record for disallowed goals, and Baltika secured a valuable away point against Dynamo.
An image shows a match between Orenburg and CSKA Moscow.
The inaugural round of the new Russian football championship concluded on Monday, July 21st. Among the league`s top contenders, only Valery Karpin`s new club, Dynamo, and CSKA dropped points. However, as is often the case, predictions proved only half-true, as forecasting outcomes early in the season can be a thankless task. CSKA`s match serves as a prime example: a victory for the Army Men in Orenburg was widely expected, yet the game ended in a goalless draw, 0-0. The stellar performances of both goalkeepers, Ovsyannikov and Akinfeev, were instrumental. Despite the `red-blues` dominating after the break, they failed to convert their chances.
Zenit also had a challenging start. Nevertheless, the team demonstrated its class and eventually overcame Rostov`s resistance. After losing the first half, the Saint Petersburg side scored three times in the second, with two goals officially counted, securing a 2-1 victory.
Wendel`s absence was notable. However, including the Brazilian in the squad was problematic given he only returned to Russia three days before the match. While the rest of the team resumed training on June 18th, Wendel opted for an extended break, prompting a reaction from the vice-champions` coach, Sergey Semak:
“He is a wonderful, very talented player. But there are certainly downsides, for example, his absence. He will be punished. The management, or Alexander Ivanovich, will announce the disciplinary action. As for us, we proceed from our playing model and his desire. As of today, he is a team player, but he is looking for options that suit him. If he doesn`t find any, he will naturally remain with the team. Regarding new signings: Roman Vega arrived earlier, so it`s a bit easier for him; as for Gerson, we`ll see. But it`s important to understand that he`s only been with the team for a couple of days and had very little training, literally two sessions. In my opinion, he needs time.”
Indeed, Gerson came on as a substitute after the half-time break. Alexander Ivanovich refers to the club`s board chairman. Meanwhile, Zenit`s main contender for the championship title, according to bookmakers, Spartak, secured a 1-0 home victory against Makhachkala Dynamo. In this match, Spartak set a new record for disallowed goals by the referee, with an astonishing four goals ruled out for the `red-whites`!
It`s worth recalling that Business FM radio had predicted on opening day that Dynamo was unlikely to defeat Baltika. This was due to Andrey Talalaev`s team, returning to the elite league, having significantly strengthened its squad with eight new players, including two duos from Bosnia and Nigeria. The prediction proved accurate, as the match at VTB Arena ended in a surprising 1-1 draw. The hosts` first goal in the RPL was scored by Argentine Cáceres. Commenting on Baltika during the `All for the Match!` program, USSR`s last championship winner Alexander Grishin offered a positive assessment:
“Baltika will likely get on the nerves of even the league leaders this season. And they will probably contend for a mid-table position. The quality of their players is evident. We`ll see. It will actually be interesting because both the stadium and the city are so football-oriented. And we don`t want to lose Baltika; we want them to stay in the RPL for as long as possible. But it will be what it will be.”
Experts were also mistaken in their predictions of a tough start for Krasnodar and Lokomotiv. Both teams secured convincing 3-0 victories. `The Railroaders` routed Sochi at home, while the reigning champions achieved the same feat in Nizhny Novgorod. As a result, both teams currently share first place with 3 points and a goal difference of +3.
The second round of the national football championship will, like the first, kick off on Friday with a Volga Derby: Krylia Sovetov against Pari Nizhny Novgorod. The main matches are scheduled for the weekend, including Dynamo vs. Rostov, Krasnodar vs. Lokomotiv, and Rubin vs. Zenit. Spartak will host Baltika at home, while CSKA will face Grozny Akhmat.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth