Week Eighteen of Rosgosstrakh Championship of Russia opens with a Friday evening battle that could have enormous implications on the race for a spot in Europe as Rostov welcomes fourth place Spartak Nalchik.
Whilst the attention has been on the likes of CSKA and Rubin fighting it out for the second spot, Yuriy Krasnozhan's Nalchik side have crept to within two points of a Champions League spot and Rostov is not backing down. The two upstarts sit at fourth and fifth in the table and as the campaign nears the final stretch run have a distinct possibility at grabbing a spot in Europe.
Oleh Protasov's Rostov have continued to play an up-tempo style and after a brief dip against Zenit and Dynamo have found their footing with three consecutive victories. Roman Adamov continues to produce with Alexandr Pavlenko a consistent force going forward. Rostov's lone absence is Dragan Blatnjak and Nalchik should expect their hosts to be patient and unwilling to expose themselves in the counter.
Nalchik is undoubtedly one of the season's great surprises and at the root of their success is the work of David Siradze and Vladimir Dyadyun. Nalchik's counter attacks have wreaked havoc on many this year with those two particularly dangerous. Manager Yuriy Krasnozhan has a fully fit line-up available to him and knows that a victory would propel his side to second and continue their push towards the Champions League.
Prepared by John Davies
... but nothing matches the thrill and challenge of having money on the line!
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