The World Cup qualifying matches have been completed so the action in the Russian Premier League continues this weekend. The Russian national side, coached by ex-Australian and current Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink, enjoyed two wins during the international fixtures......
The team ranked sixth in the current FIFA rankings enjoyed a 2-0 home win over Azerbaijan and a 1-0 away win over tiny Liechtenstein. The Russians are second in their group, four points behind leaders Germany although Russia have a game in hand.
Fixtures Match Day Three (GMT)
April 3
16:00 FC Khimki v FK Rostov
April 4
11:00 Terek Grozny v Dinamo Moscow
13:30 FK Rubin Kazan v FC Moscow
16:00 Saturn Moscow v Kuban Krasnodar
April 5
08:45 FK Tom' Tomsk v Zenit St Petersburg
11:00 Lokomotiv Moscow v PFK Samara Kryliya Sovetov
13:30 FK Amkar Perm' v CSKA Moscow
16:00 Spartak Moscow v Spartak Nalchik
Friday
FC Khimki v FK Rostov
The first game of match-day three sees two win-less teams take each other on. FC Khimki host FK Rostov at the Rodina Stadium.FC Khimki lost a high scoring affair 3-2 in the previous round away to Dinamo Moscow. While for the visitors, Rostov managed to get a draw at home against Lokomotiv Moscow; the final score was 1-1.Both teams will be hoping to record their first win of the season.
Saturday
Terek Grozny v Dinamo Moscow
These sides contest the early match on Saturday; both teams are undefeated with Terek on four points after a win a draw.
The team from Chechnya secured a draw away to FC Moscow last round, after two wins from two home games. Dinamo play their first away game of the season; and will hope to make it three wins out of three.
An interesting note about Terek Grozny: the team from Grozny situated in Chechnya was only granted permission by the Russian Football Union to host Premier League matches in Grozny before the start of the 2008 Premier League season.
In the 1990s the club was disbanded for some time due to the war in Chechnya. From the 1990s to 2007 the club played its home games in the neighbouring resort city of Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Krai.FK
Rubin Kazan v FC Moscow
Champions Rubin Kazan take on FC Moscow. The team based in the Tatarstan Republic, Rubin have managed a win and draw from their first two games of the RPL season.
The champions could only manage a 0-0 draw away to Spartak Nalchik last round though, and should be looking to beat FC Moscow; perhaps not the strongest of the Moscow clubs.
FC Moscow have only a point to show from their first two outings of the season, getting it in the last round at home to Terek Groznyi.
Saturn Moscow v Kuban Krasnodar
Saturn Moscow are the only team without a point so far in season 2009 of the RPL; they host Kuban Krasnodar who upset the more fancied Spartak Moscow 1-0 at home last time out.
The Aliens lost 2-1 away to Zenit St Petersburg during match-day two; having to endure the defeat in an empty stadium and on a bumpy pitch.
Saturn will hope to blast off up the ladder and secure their first points of the season.
Sunday
FC Tom' Tomsk v Zenit St Petersburg
The early match on Sunday sees FC Tom' Tomsk play host to last season’s UEFA Cup winners, Zenit St Petersburg.
Tomsk, who currently have three points, upset the highly rated CSKA Moscow 1-0 away from home on match-day two. Macedonian international Goran Maznov netted the goal in the first minute.
Zenit St Petersburg, currently on four points, played at the Petrovsky Stadium, with classical music pumping through the speakers in an empty stadium last round, and beat Saturn Moscow 2-1.
The Russian Premier League’s most notorious fans were punished by the Russian Football Union because of a tasteless and offensive banner that was paraded at the last home game of season 2008. The banner carried a slur on Russian football legend, Lev Yashin.
Lokomotiv Moscow v Kryliya Sovetov
After two draws in the first two rounds, Lokomotiv Moscow play Kryliya Sovetov. The team from Samara will be confident after beating Amkar Perm 1-0 in the last round.
Lokomotiv are considered one of the stronger teams in the Russian Premier League and their team is filled with international players like Nigerian forward Peter Odemwingie and Russian international midfielder Dmitri Torbinski.
The team from Moscow will be hoping to get their first win of the season on Sunday.Krylya Sovetov Samara are the surprise package so far in 2009 season of the RPL with two wins from two and will hope to make it three on the trot.
FK Amkar Perm' v CSKA Moscow
FC Amkar Perm are the easternmost football club in Europe. Amkar's home field is Zvezda Stadium, which is layered with artificial turf.
The team that plays in the anarchy colors of red and black first appeared in May 5, 1993, when a team assembled of workers of a Perm Mineral Fertilizers factory played the first match in the Cup of Perm city. The name Amkar is created from the words "ammoniac" and "carbamide", the main products of the factory.
Amkar Perm have only one point so far this season; a draw at home to Rostov while CSKA Moscow, who are coached by Brazilian legend Zico, have three points after their first round away win over Saturn.
Spartak Moscow v Spartak Nalchik
The last game of the round sees the two Spartak sides take each other on.
Spartak Moscow are nicknamed “Meat” because during the Soviet era the club was owned by the Collective Production Farms.
In a round that saw the teams from Moscow humbled during match day two, the Michael Laudrup coached Spartak Moscow were upset by Kuban Krasnodar 1-0 away; while Spartak Nalchik did well to draw with champions Rubin Kazan.
Michael Laudrup will be under pressure after only amassing a point from his first two games in charge of CSKA Moscow and Spartak Nalchik will be hoping to trouble another big side from the second game in a row.
Con Stamocostas, Goal.com
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