Russia: Round 5 is over. First win for newcomers. Dynamo Moscow ko and Zenit Kazan to the top!

Round 5 of the 2024/25 Russian superliga started on Wednesday with four exciting games.
Zenit Kazan defeated NOVA Novokuybyshevsk 3-0 (25:17, 25:23, 25:19), who faced the Tatarstan giants without two key players, Nikola Jovovic and Evgeniy Rybakov, due to illness. In contrast, Zenit Kazan fielded a full-strength squad, ready for the upcoming “Final Four” of the Legends Cup.
The winners, led by a powerful serve from Mikhail Labinsky, quickly gained the upper hand and took the first set 25-17. The rivals fought back in the second set but narrowly lost 25-23, and Zenit can secured the match with a 25-18 victory in the third set, marking their fourth consecutive straight-set win.
In a surprising upset, Belogorie Belgorod dominated Dynamo Moscow, depriving the team from country’s capital of the championship lead.
Playing really a great game, Belgorod outplayed the rivals in all aspects, winning in straight sets (25:18, 25:17, 25:19) led by Jingyin Zhang, the match’s top scorer with 13 points, closely followed by Pavel Tetyukhin who contributed with 12 points. Dynamo Moscow’s Denis Bogdan led his team with 10 points, but it wasn’t enough to stop Belogorie’s momentum.
Straight sets win also for Yenisey Krasnoyarsk, who celebrated a hard-fought home win over ASK Nizhny Novgorod, 3-0 (28:26, 25:22, 25:23), and for Dinamo-LO, who triumphed over Neftyanik Orenburg, 3-0 (25:15, 25:23, 25:16).
A good news also for newcomers MGTU Moscow, who celebrated first win in Russian elite competition after an exciting 2-3 (22:25, 25:10, 25:19, 29:31, 13:15) win on the field of Fakel Novyi Urengoy while, on Friday, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk destroyed Gazprom-Yugra Surgut with a clear 3-0 (25:16, 25:12, 25:18) and Dynamo Ural collected a four sets win over Zenit St. Petersburg, 3-1 (23:25, 24:26, 25:21, 25:16).

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🏐| Russian Superleague 2024/25 | ROUND 5

Wednesday September 25, 2024
• Yenisey Krasnoyarsk – ASK Nizhny Novgorod 3-0 (28:26, 25:22, 25:23)
• Dynamo LO – Neftyanik Orenburg 3-0 (25:15, 25:23, 25:16)
• Belogorie Belgorod – Dynamo Moscow 3-0 (25:18, 25:17, 25:19)
• Zenit Kazan – NOVA Novokuybyshevsk 3-0 (25:17, 25:23, 25:19)

Thursday September 26, 2024
• Fakel Novyi Urengoy – MGTU Moscow 2-3 (22:25, 25:10, 25:19, 29:31, 13:15)

Friday September 27, 2024
• Lokomotiv Novosibirsk – Gazprom-Yugra Surgut 3-0 (25:16, 25:12, 25:18)
• Dynamo Ural – Zenit St. Petersburg 3-1 (23:25, 24:26, 25:21, 25:16)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Zenit Kazan 14
2. Dynamo Moscow 12
3. Belogorie Belgorod 10
4. Lokomotiv Novosibirsk 9
5. Dynamo Ural
6. 9 Zenit St. Petersburg 9
7. Yenisey Krasnoyarsk 8
8. Dynamo LO 8
9. Fakel Novyi Urengoy 7
10. Kuzbass Kemerovo 5
11. Gazprom-Yugra Surgut 5
12. Neftyanik Orenburg 4
13. MGTU Moscow 2
14. NOVA Novokuybyshevsk 2
15. ASK Nizhny Novgorod 1

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🏐| NEXT GAMES | Round 6

Sunday September 29, 2024
• Dynamo Moscow – Yenisey Krasnoyarsk

Monday September 30, 2024
• Fakel Novyi Urengoy – Dynamo LO
• ASK Nizhny Novgorod – Kuzbass Kemerovo

Tuesday October 1, 2024
• Gazprom-Yugra Surgut – Dynamo Ural
• Neftyanik Orenburg – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk
• Zenit St. Petersburg – Belogorie Belgorod

Wednesday October 3, 2024
• MGTU Moscow – NOVA Novokuybyshevsk
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