Nizhnyi Novgorod – CSKA

CSKA may have trouble breaking through the defence Nizhnyi Novgorod

CSKA will face Nizhny Novgorod away on Sunday, 31 July. The Army Men are by far the brightest attacking team in the Russian championship. The two opening games were won by a combined score of 5-0. CSKA didn't notice the resistance of Ural and crushed Sochi. The Army Men won absolutely deservedly, although against the Southerners not everything was smooth in defence. The visitors created a number of goalscoring chances. CSKA so far had a very good light attack, led by the Legionnaires Medina and Carrascal. The third to the South Americans was Fedor Chalov. The Russian striker added after being loaned to Switzerland. He certainly does not look like a foreign element. There are no particular disadvantages in CSKA's game. The defence is not ideal, but by RPL standards it also ranks among the best. Nizhny Novgorod, on the other hand, should be saddened by the start of the Russian championship. The team miraculously snatched a draw against Lokomotiv, getting 30 shots on goal. Then, in a very important match, they lost to Khimki. This game is one of the key games in the fight for survival. Nizhny Novgorod was no weaker than Khimki for most of the game. Volga even began to enjoy a slight edge midway through the second half, but a silly mistake by goalie Nigmatullin dropped the ball. The goalkeeper slipped and gifted the opponents a goal. Nizhny Novgorod opened up and got two more goals on the counterattack. After such a defeat, the pressure on Galaktionov's coaching staff increased. Many people did not understand the point of replacing former coach Aleksandr Kerzhakov. A series of defeats could be a psychological blow to the young specialist. Importantly, Nizhny Novgorod have yet to receive the long-awaited reinforcement in attack. It's important for the home team to get at least some points in their next game. The team will certainly put an emphasis on a tight defense. A low-scoring encounter is in sight. CSKA will face an organized opponent, focused on a draw. Plus it's also the army men's first away game. The Volga club will have a definite advantage thanks to their fans. Nizhny Novgorod is unlikely to open up, even after a quick goal. The team simply doesn't have the resources to compete with CSKA in attacking football. Plus Galaktionov's style of play doesn't imply total pressure or risk. There's a good chance that the 0-0 scoreline will last long enough. From the standings point of view, an away draw does not look like a big tragedy for CSKA. In this regard, there are good reasons to expect a relatively cautious encounter. In the past, CSKA have been able to take advantage of their free spaces. In Nizhny Novgorod, their opponent will try to close in as much as possible and won't shy away from full-court pressure.