Previewing PariNN v Zenit this Sunday
Text: Alfie Lumb
Zenit continue their league campaign as they travel to the banks of the Volga river to face Pari Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday.
Photo: ФК «Пари НН»/Павел Новиков
Malcom was on target in the game, cancelling out Georgi Gongadze’s opener in the 12th minute.
Nizhny Novgorod start the game in 10th place and have picked up just a point in their last three games, drawing with Torpedo Moscow 0-0 in their last clash. Their last win came in September in a 3-1 victory away in Grozny. Timur Suleymanov bagged a brace in that contest. The striker is Nizhny’s top scorer this season with six goals in all competitions.
Sunday’s opponents are coached by the current Sbornaya U21s coach Mikhail Galaktinov, who took up the position with the club at the start of the season. The 38-year-old sets his side out in a 3-4-3 formation. Zenit fans may remember Elmir Nabiullin who had a spell with the club in the 2018-19 season. The left wing-back turn midfielder signed for Novgorod over the summer. Former Ufa winger Vyacheslav Krotov plays on the right, with Angolan Felicio Milson providing Suleymanov on the left.
The last time the clubs faced off against each other in May, Nizhny edged out as 1-0 winners courtesy of Nikolay Kalinskiy’s penalty, following a long VAR check. In the reverse fixture, Zenit walked away with a 5-1 win at the Gazprom Arena. Malcom opened the scoring before Artem Dzyuba scored a hat-trick. Dmitri Chistyakov scored the fifth in the 87th minute to seal the win.
Speaking before the game Sergei Semak gave his opinion on Nizhny’s upcoming tactics saying “I think they will try to be attacking.”
The Blue-White-Sky Blue boss was wary of the threat that his opponents hold: “They’ve had some good games, and play well even when losing.”
“They can regroup well in comeback in games.”
ParniNN v Zenit takes place away this Sunday 16 October, kicking off at 4.30pm and will be live on the RPL YouTube channel for viewers around the globe.
