Introducing the opponent: "Neftyanik" in the city of oil workers
Our opponent in the second round is Neftyanik from Orenburg. The calendar at the start of the championship allows Gazprom-Yugra to gain points, what you should definitely use. At the same time, it would not be superfluous to remember, that last year Neftyanik left Surgut with a clean sheet to its name: that is, you need to prepare seriously and treat your opponent with all respect.
In the off-season, a number of famous players left the Neftyanik roster (Zemchenok, Sidenko, Makarenko, Joss, Kovalikov, Tkachev) but at the same time the team has maintained a good balance of youth and experience. Experienced Surgut fans probably remember blocker Alexei Safonov, who began a great career at Gazprom-Yugra, still in action team veterans finisher Sergei Panov, diagonal Ilnur Rahmatullin, libero Maxim Maksimenko, finishing player Ilya Spodobets and center Anton Andreev pose a serious threat.
As the main diagonal in Neftyanik, they play a young graduate of the Kazan Zenit system, Mikhail Khlyakin, and on the “connection” side, the playing time is shared by the experienced Cheslavs Sventitskis and Kirill Chekmizov, who comes from the Belogorye system. A pair of setters in Orenburg is the highest in the Super League, 208 and 206 cm respectively. But the skill of the players in this role is determined, primarily, other indicators, and here “Neftyanik” still has a lot of work to do: Chekmizov is young, Sventitskis has stagnated in the capital's Dynamo square and is trying to find himself again. Khlyakin looked good in the diagonal at the Russian Cup games, but the debut in the Super League did not go well, largely for objective reasons - in the first round, Neftyanik was hit by the skating rink of St. Petersburg Zenit.
After a home defeat without any chances or options, the Orenburg team will probably crave revenge in Surgut - at least in terms of demonstrating a mature game. Our task is to become a mini-Zenith for Neftyanik, that is, organize pressure of this level, so that guests cannot spread their wings. And in this “Gazprom-Yugra”, as always, really counts on his fans, who are able to emotionally excite the team and give the necessary boost of energy. We are waiting for you in the stands of the Premier Arena on Wednesday, 11 september, start of the match at 19.00!
