The new season in the First League kicked off with some serious drama for Sochi as they travelled up north to Yaroslavl. Shinnik who have been on a long unbeaten run since spring gave the southern big boys a real scare forcing them to fight back from two goals down to snatch a draw. That result is not too bad when you think about how tough Shinnik have become but now Sochi are back at home and they smell their first win of the campaign against Spartak from Kostroma.
Team Form
Spartak on the other hand started brightly by beating Kamaz three one on their own patch with Amur Kalmykov grabbing a hat trick. If that kind of scoring form lasts through the summer months their push for promotion to the RPL could gather real steam and the club bosses are already talking like they belong among the top sides in Russia. Sochi meanwhile showed they can grind out results even when things go wrong and their coach Igor Osinkin brings plenty of First League experience from his time at Krylya Sovetov where he set goal scoring records.
Tactical Analysis
- Sochi have a settled dressing room and a coach who knows how to get the best out of attacking players
- Spartak rely heavily on Kalmykov up front but their bench looks thin if the game turns into a battle
- Both sides love to push forward and leave gaps at the back which often leads to end to end action
- Shinnik showed that pressing high can rattle Sochi so expect Spartak to try the same trick early on
The first round already proved these teams like to score goals and with both sides needing points the chances of a high scoring affair are strong. Sochi will want to control the midfield and use their home advantage while Spartak will look to hit on the break through their star striker.
Betting Proposal
Given how open both teams play and their recent goal tallies the smart money is on goals at both ends. My types for this one point to a lively contest where the defences struggle to keep clean sheets.
Both teams to score yes at odds of 2.03
