Zenit's victory over CSKA, Dynamo's dry run and Smolov's first goal after his return: what will be remembered for the third round of the RPL

Incredible scenario and two efficient free throws by Noboa

The third round of the RPL started with an eventful match between Sochi and Rubin. Before the game, few could have imagined that the teams would have such a productive meeting, but in the end they scored five goals for two.

Moreover, the southerners managed to open an account only at the end of the first half. Joaozinho, who played the second match for Sochi, scored his first effective action as part of the team, making an assist to Miha Mevlu.

However, after the break, Kazan managed to change the course of the match thanks to the excellent performance of Khviche Kvaratskhelia. First, he earned a penalty, which was converted by Ivan Ignatiev, and then gave an assist to the substitute Denis Makarov.

But in the end, Sochi's standards and Christian Noboa, who perfectly perform them, came to the fore. Five minutes before the end of normal time, the 35-year-old Ecuadorian sent the ball into the far corner from a free kick and scored a goal in the third round of the RPL in a row.

It is noteworthy that the veteran became only the second midfielder in the history of the Russian championship, who managed to score in three games in a row at the start of the championship. The first to do this in 2003 was the current head coach of Zenit Sergei Semak.

And in the time added by the referee, Noboa made an effective pass to Ivan Miladinovic from almost the same point. Thus, Sochi snatched their first victory in the current season and extended their unbeaten run.

Removal of Gritsaenko in the first half and the first victory of "Tambov"

The meeting between “Tambov” and the newcomer of RPL “Khimki” in Saransk turned out to be rich in events. The nominal owners opened an account already in the 14th minute. Valeriy Chuperka received the ball on the line of someone else's goalkeeper after two opponents failed to interrupt the pass at once, and with a rebound from the crossbar sent a shell into the net.

But at the end of the half, the Tambovites remained in the minority. Defender Alexei Gritsaenko first received a yellow card from judge Mikhail Vilkov for shaking his hand in the face of Alexander Troshechkin. However, after watching the replay, the referee changed his mind and removed the player from the field.

And after the break, the referee appointed an obvious penalty to the guests for the handball by Maxim Martusevich, but Vladimir Obukhov was unable to convert it. The attacker shot from the "point" above the gate.

In the time remaining before the final whistle, Khimki's players in the majority pushed their opponents close to the goal (in the second half they had 81% of the ball), but did not manage to break through the most experienced football player in the league, 39-year-old Sergei Ryzhikov. 

Berg's Usefulness and Klasson's Return

Together with Khimki, Rubin and Rotor, Arsenal are at the bottom of the standings with one point. On Tuesday, the Tula lost to Krasnodar on the road - 0: 2. The Southerners won the class, scoring a goal in each half. 

On the 35th minute, Sergei Petrov, taking advantage of the discount of Markus Berg, completed the team's fan combination with an accurate shot to the near corner.

And in the second half of the meeting, the Swede himself hit someone else's goal after a timely transfer from the depths of Yuri Gazinsky. Thus, the striker's assets after three rounds of the new RPL season have two goals and one assist.

Closer to the final whistle, another significant event for Krasnodar fans took place. For the first time in 435 days, midfielder Viktor Klasson entered the field, recovering from a severe knee injury. Considering that he received it as part of the Swedish national team, then Victor played the last game for the southerners at the end of May 2019.

Nikolic's unbeaten streak and Pomazun's seven saves

But Lokomotiv, who beat Krasnodar in the last round, failed to extend the winning streak in the national championship to three matches. The railroad workers in Yekaterinburg parted with Ural and extended Marko Nikolic's unbeaten run in the RPL to 11 matches.

At the same time, the guests had an advantage in all statistical indicators. They owned the ball 60% of the playing time, struck 16 shots against five of the opponent and eight shots on target against the opponent's only two attempts.

However, the goalkeeper of Yekaterinburg Ilya Pomazun played an excellent game. The goalkeeper rented from CSKA made seven saves in his debut meeting for Ural. 

His counterpart Marinato Guilherme almost did not enter the game, but 16 minutes before the end of regular time he had to get the ball out of his own goal after Andrei Yegorychev hit.

Fyodor Smolov saved Lokomotiv from defeat. At the end of the meeting, Dmitry Zhivoglyadov performed a perfect serve on a partner from the right flank, and he equalized the score, correcting himself for a miss on an empty goal before the break. Thus, Smolov scored not only the debut goal after returning from loan, but also the first for the railroad workers since September 22, 2019.

Larsson's penalty kick and twin goals for Alikin and Ponce

The match between Ufa and Spartak ended with a similar score. The red and white away team failed to defeat the unyielding opponent. At the same time, Domenico Tedesco and Alexander Kokorin did not fly to Bashkortostan. The coach is due to sore throat, and the attacker is due to injury.

This game was especially important for the general director of “Spartak” Shamil Gazizov, who moved to Moscow just from Ufa in the summer. This even gave rise to a wave of rumors that Vadim Evseev's charges will now be ready to "present" Muscovites with six points.

In fact, the hosts opened an account in the second minute. After a corner kick, 36-year-old Pavel Alikin just shot his head into the far corner. 

The guests could immediately recoup. Bojan Jokic played with his hand in his own penalty box, blocking the opponent's kick, and the referee Stanislav Vasiliev, having watched the replay, appointed a penalty. However, Jordan Larsson failed to realize it. Alexander Belenov coped with a blow to the right corner from himself, although he left the goal line before the striker hit.

Despite an unsuccessful start, Spartak only increased the pressure on other people's gates and soon leveled the score, also thanks to the corner. Ezequiel Ponce scored in the second RPL match in a row, closing the serve of Larsson at the near post.

Subsequently, the red and white were close to snatching a victory, but they did not manage to once again break through the experienced Belenov, who recorded three saves to his asset. 

Thus, Ufa once again took the points from Spartak. Last season, the Moscow team scored only one point in the confrontation with the Bashkortostanians (0: 1, 0: 0). And the ten-time champion of Russia won the last victory in Ufa back in April 2017.

Successful substitutions of Talalaev and Rotor's first goal in the RPL

In turn, Akhmat, after being defeated by Spartak in the previous round, won its first victory in the new season, as well as under the leadership of Andrey Talalaev. Grozny defeated Rotor, who returned to the Premier League, at home - 3: 1. 

At the same time, the first half ended without goals scored, and the hosts failed to convert the penalty. The barbell took over the blow of Andres Ponce, and the referee Sergey Lapochkin did not count the subsequent finishing off.

But in two episodes the referee didn’t appoint the penalty spot against “Akhmat”. More precisely, at the end of the first half, he still pointed to the "point" for a foul on Camille Mullina, but after watching the replay he changed his mind.

But in the second half of the meeting, the hosts finally managed to get their way. Moreover, the substitute players played great. Odise Roshi scored a double. Vladimir Ilyin scored a handsome ball and gave an assist, and Oleg Ivanov helped his partner open an account. 

Volgograd responded with an accurate shot by Sergei Serchenkov, who also entered the game from the bench. It is noteworthy that all four goals in this meeting fit into a quarter of an hour - from the 47th to the 61st minute.

And shortly before the final whistle, Rotor remained in the minority. Central defender Cedric Gogua rented from CSKA received a second yellow card.     

Dynamo's third match to zero and Moro's debut

Meanwhile, Dynamo won a home win over Rostov (2: 0) and caught up with Lokomotiv in the standings with seven points. Now the metropolitan teams are tied for second or third places.

The main hero of the confrontation in the composition of the blue and white was Nikolai Komlichenko. At the end of the first half, he earned a penalty, and then scored on his own after a corner and opened the scoring for goals this season.

Moreover, the judge Nikolai Voloshin appointed the penalty spot against the guests not immediately, but after watching the replay. Maximilian Philip hit the center from a point and converted the sixth penalty kick in the RPL in two seasons.

Turn the course of the match in the second half of the meeting, the yellow-blue did not work. After the break, they struck only one shot on target of Anton Shunin. Thus, the goalkeeper did not miss in the third match of the new RPL season in a row, and the blue and white remained the only team that has not yet allowed the opponents to hit their goal. 

Also worth noting is the debut of Croatian newcomer Nikola Moro with Dynamo. He entered the field in the 69th minute and managed to get a yellow card. The midfielder also made 12 assists, 75% of which were accurate.

Azmun's double and Vlasic's long-range strike

And in the first place remained Zenit, which in the central match of the round at home was stronger than CSKA - 2: 1. The head coach of Petersburgers Sergei Semak, who is still in the top 10 in terms of the number of matches played in the army team, beat the former team as a coach for the third time.

In turn, the reigning champion won a third victory over CSKA in the last four matches. In this segment, the opponent only once broke up with the team from the Northern capital in the world. And at home Zenit has not been inferior to the opponent at all since April 2011.

This time the most significant contribution to the success was made by Serdar Azmun. The Iranian scored a double and with ten goals broke into the leaders of the conditional summer race of RPL scorers. He also shares three goals with Noboa in the list of the best snipers of the current Premier League season.

As part of CSKA, Nikola Vlasic, who returned to service after an injury, distinguished himself. Horvath scored the 22nd goal in his 70th jubilee game for the army team, and also hit Zenit's goal at the Gazprom Arena in the second season in a row.