Translated material
Sun, air and water
Zenit, Rubin and CSKA were hampered by the weather
It is difficult for Zenit to climb to the top of the standings. Large and convincing victories alternate with offensive misfires where, in theory, there should be no losses. Dick Advocaat brought the main team to Vladivostok, led by the most expensive player in Russia, Andrei Arshavin, and its most expensive foreign player, Anatoly Timoshchuk. But all the advantage in class and skill of the Russian champions over one of the main candidates for relegation to the first division, Luch-Energia, was washed away by a banal downpour.Half of Vladivostok is sure: a conspiracy has been organized against their club in the Premier League, the purpose of which is to get rid of “Luch-Energia”, and with it the longest travel time and the need to spend 24 hours on a plane. And despairing of becoming part of the elite company, in the Far East they gave up on everything else that should accompany a match at the Premier League level. Including the quality of the field. From early spring to late autumn, Luch, threatening with sanctions and fines, is convinced to acquire a decent lawn and drainage. But the Far Easterners see this as the same manifestation of intrigues against their team and flatly refuse to change anything at their stadium. Moreover, the field, which during the match with Zenit turned into one huge puddle due to the rain, helps them gain points.
It’s unlikely that Luch would have had any real chances if they had played against Advocaat’s team on a decent surface. But in an action that the Dutch coach called “boxing on water,” Luch achieved the coveted draw - 0:0.
Once upon a time, Amkar had similar problems. But in Perm they decided to install artificial turf. Along with an even surface came the need for a well-staged game, thanks to which Amkar climbed to the top of the standings, from where even the euphoric CSKA could not knock it off. Even the numerical advantage that the army team had throughout the second half, and the heat that exhausted both teams, did not allow them to win in Perm - 3:3. Although the hero of last week, Vagner Love, still scored his goal.
Neither rain nor sunshine prevented Rubin from strengthening its leadership after the misfires of its main pursuers. But after the break, it was as if the air had been let out of Kurban Berdyev’s team. The Kazan team failed to win the fourth match in a row. And Rubin’s lead, which once disheartened its competitors, was reduced to an optimistic minimum.
Rescheduled matches of the Russian championship. "Rubin" - "Saturn" - 0:0, "Luch-Energia" - "Zenith" - 0:0, "Amkar" - CSKA - 3:3 (S. Volkov 35, Dujmovich 59, Peev 74 -- Vagner Love 24, Krasic 65, 69) .
Russian Championship
| "Ruby" | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 19--11 | 27 |
| "Amkar" | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 18--9 | 26 |
| "Dynamo" | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 21--16 | 24 |
| "Spartak" M | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 22--21 | 20 |
| "Spartak" N | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 15--16 | 19 |
| CSKA | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19--13 | 19 |
| "Locomotive" | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 16--12 | 19 |
| "Wings of the Soviets" | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 17--13 | 18 |
| "Terek" | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 12--17 | 16 |
| "Tom" | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 11--18 | 15 |
| "Zenith" | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 19--13 | 14 |
| "Saturn" | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 11--11 | 14 |
| "Moscow" | 13 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 12--14 | 13 |
| "Shinnik" | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 14--20 | 10 |
| "Luch-Energy" | 13 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 9--17 | 9 |
| "Khimki" | 13 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 17--31 | 8 |