Russia - Premier League 09.07.2008

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Saturn vs FC Moscow

We can already say that Saturn will fight for UEFA Cup qualification in the second half of July against German giant Stuttgart. Moscow arrive to Ramenskoje eager to improve the impression from the first part of the season. The club led by the greatest Soviet player of all times, Oleg Blokhin marked only two wins so far in the championship; interestingly both of them were marked away against weaker teams, Nalchik and Shinnik. In Saturn Coach Gadzijev is a traditionalist, his squad play carefully and on low score. It is a huge surprise that they have score seven goals against Luxemburg side, even though their rivals are amateurs. Four-time scorer Kiricenko was brilliant, but we can't judge of Saturn's form based on Saturday match. The duel against Moscow will be much more difficult. FC Moscow started the season with great ambitions; last year they played Cup finals but they can’t be satisfied with how new championship is going. They haven’t won a single game at home; some experiments with bringing Argentinean Maxi Lopez are not paying off and one of the best players, international Adamov left the club. They spent the preparations in Austria, won city rivals, CSKA in a friendly by the beginning of July so perhaps better days are coming. During the break they acquired a significant back-up, Strelkov but Semak left so the squad is weaker than they were in the first part. Tradition over the last couple of years is on the visitors’ side, ever since Torpedo-Zil transformed to FC Moscow, the Citizens haven’t lost a match in Ramenskoje. Of course, this doesn't have to mean anything but we will witness a cautious approach from both sides.

Under is mx option.

Zenit St Petersburg vs Spartak N.

Zenit have already said goodbye to defending the title… Actually the ambition to win UEFA Cup cost them weak results in the championship. But, if Zenit win these matches, anything is possible. Anyway, the team from Sankt Petersburg want a place that will guarantee them the competition in the Champions league next season. Encouraged by a victory over Shinnik Nalchik arrive to former Leningrad. They played a good game and they could have marked even a more convin cing triumph. They managed to miss a penalty but it didn’t cost them much. The club from Sankt Petersburg won’t leave their biggest star for anything less than 25 million euros. But let us get back to the match with Tom. So, without Arshavin and injured Pogrebnyak, Zenit scored five goals in half an hour. He rest of the team worked perfectly so Nalchik are in for a hard time. We have mentioned that Zenit are playing each Wednesday and Sunday to compensate for the missed matches and they are about to play against weak Khimki and Luch Energiya. Nalchik are not naive rivals, let me remind you that they have won CSKA in Moscow on the start of the season. Last season Nalchik took a point from Sankt Petersburg against the eventual champions. After Zenit’s goal spree against Tomsk, the bookies have lowered the odds for over 2.5 goals.

Home win.