Khimki – Zenit

Zenit should comfortably beat Khimki in their first RPL match

A new Russian championship kicks off on Friday 15 July. Zenit have prepared perfectly for the season, winning two trophies. The team was first strongest in the Match Premier Cup and then defeated Spartak in the encounter for the Super Cup of Russia, 4-0. Sergei Semak's side start the season as the clear favourites to win the RPL. Zenit are the only club in Russia to retain their backbone of internationals. So far, only Yuri Alberto has left the team. All other rumours are unconfirmed. Two more Brazilians will arrive in St Petersburg soon - attacking player Mantuan and goalkeeper Ivan. Zelimkhan Bakayev is a significant reinforcement. In fact, Sergei Semak now has a full Brazilian attacking group at his disposal. The strongest players from the Russian national team are in the rotation. Mostovoy, Bakayev and Erokhin strengthen the game in the second half. Khimki are on a completely different level. The Moscow Region team spent the summer with a very modest transfer campaign. Two centre-backs Volkov and Nikitin were brought in. In comparison with last season the squad was much weaker. Almost all of the newcomers have left the club. Khimki also have some financial problems. In the press there were reports that the players were asked to take pay cuts. Coach Sergey Yuran in his career has no experience with success over the long haul. The upcoming championship is unlikely to be an exception. Khimki are likely to play in a five-back formation. During friendlies, the club took almost no chances. Yuran's team had two scoreless games, against Velez and Sochi. There will definitely be problems with attacking moves in the new season. At the moment there is simply no one to score. Last season, Denis Glushakov scored ten goals. The veteran is unlikely to repeat that result. The bookmakers are expecting a relatively productive game, although Zenit will win. Khimki, with their entire team, will have to defend. Even Spartak haven't managed to put a single shot on goal for Zenit. Khimki will have little or no thought of attacking. At the same time, Zenit have little motivation to go down. The team could well be satisfied with a comfortable two-goal victory. Last time Zenit beat Khimki 1-0. If we take the distance of five meetings, then in four of them it was bet on the total score of less than 2.5.