Russian Premier League Hits Record Attendance in Season Kick-Off
The Russian Premier League kicked off its new 2019-2020 season this weekend with eight matches across the country. A total of 183,617 spectators attended the games, making it the most-watched first round of football in Russia since the establishment of the league in 1992.
Here are photos of the action:
Here are photos of the action:
Reigning champions Zenit beat Premier League newcomer Tambov 2-1 at the packed Gazprom Arena on Sunday. Russian internationals Artyom Dzyuba and Alexander Erokhin scored the winning goals.
FC Zent
Spartak squeezed out a 1:0 victory at home against the league's second newcomer, Sochi, at the Otrkritiye Arena. The referee, Vladimir Moskalyov, was suspended after the match over controversial calls, including a decision to give Spartak the winning goal on the 93rd minute after an offensive foul.
FC Spartak
Krilya Sovyetov recorded a shock 2:0 victory against favorites CSKA Moscow in Samara.
FC CSKA / premierliga.ru
Rostov continued their good run from last season with a 2:1 victory at home against Orenburg.
FC Rostov / premierliga.ru
Akhmat beat Krasnodar, last year's title contenders, 1:0 in Grozny.
FC Krasnodar
Ural and Ufa scored five goals between them in a 3:2 cracker in Yekaterinburg.
FC Ural / premierliga.ru
Arsenal drew 1:1 against Dynamo to a raucous home crowd in Tula.
FC Dynamo
The league's runners-up last year, Lokomotiv Moscow, drew 1:1 at home against Rubin.
FC Lokomotiv
