FC Nizhny Novgorod — Dinamo Makhachkala : Match Preview and Prediction for August 18,2025

FC Nizhny Novgorod Season Overview
FC Pari NN can finally celebrate their first victory of the current season, though it came in the Russian Cup. Unfortunately for them, their performance in the Russian Premier League (RPL) remains quite concerning. The Nizhny Novgorod squad has suffered defeats in all four of their initial league fixtures. Their opening match saw them face the reigning champions, Krasnodar, against whom they offered no significant resistance, enduring a decisive 0-3 loss. This was followed by an away defeat to Krylia Sovetov (0-2). It seemed as if it was time for them to regain their form, but fate again brought them a formidable opponent in Lokomotiv. While they managed to put up a fight, it was ultimately insufficient, leading to a 2-3 defeat. In their most recent league encounter, home supporters faced another disappointment, as their team was unable to overcome Rostov, losing 0-1. In the national cup, however, they have managed to somewhat improve their standing. Despite an already anticipated loss to Dinamo Makhachkala (0-1), a surprising turnaround occurred! Pari-NN secured their inaugural victory of the current season, miraculously defeating Rostov away with a 1-0 scoreline. Coach Aleksandr Shpilevsky is attempting to instill an attacking style of play in his team, but as the results clearly show, it is, to put it mildly, not yielding success. It is telling that the Nizhny Novgorod side has netted only three goals in six matches, while conceding ten! The home team’s coach will be unable to count on three key players: Tsarukyan, Maiga, and Ektov.
League Standings
#
Team
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
14
Rostov
5
1
0
4
3-8
3
15
FC Sochi
5
0
1
4
3-15
1
16
FC Nizhny Novgorod
4
0
0
4
2-9
0
Relegation Play-off
Relegation
Injuries and Suspensions: FC Nizhny Novgorod
- Injury Aleksandr Ektov Starting Defender0 matches played0 goals scoredMay 31 out since7 matches missed
- Suspension Mamadou Maiga Starting Midfielder0 matches played0 goals scoredAugust 14 out since0 matches missed
- Injury Valeri Tsarukyan Rotation Midfielder0 matches played0 goals scoredMay 31 out since7 matches missed

Dinamo Makhachkala Season Overview
Dinamo Makhachkala has been remarkably impressive this season, a surprise to many, as few would have anticipated such a strong start in both the Cup and the RPL. The Makhachkala side initially kicked off their campaign with an away defeat to Spartak (0-1). However, the actual goal difference could have been significantly wider. Many were quick to label them as relegation candidates, but they soon proved them wrong. In their second consecutive away fixture, they managed to secure their first points, drawing with Orenburg (1-1) on their artificial pitch, which is notoriously challenging for all visiting teams. In the third round, they achieved their maiden league victory, modestly overcoming Akhmat (1-0) at home. Khasanbi Bizhiyev’s squad was on the verge of a second consecutive victory but couldn’t maintain their winning lead against another breakout team of the season, Akron (1-1). In the Russian Cup, their performance has been nothing short of excellent. In the first round, they managed to snatch a victory against none other than Pari-NN (1-0), and in the second round, they even managed to dispatch Spartak (1-1) away in a penalty shootout (4-3), thereby avenging their earlier RPL defeat. Khasanbi Bizhiyev faces a similar challenge with his infirmary, as three players are also sidelined: Sandarchuk, Kagermzov, and Dapo.
League Standings
#
Team
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
8
Zenit Saint Petersburg
5
1
3
1
7-7
6
9
Akhmat Grozny
5
2
0
3
5-6
6
10
Dinamo Makhachkala
4
1
2
1
3-3
5
11
Orenburg
5
1
2
2
5-6
5
12
Dinamo Moscow
5
1
2
2
4-6
5
Injuries and Suspensions: Dinamo Makhachkala
- Injury Jan Dapo Reserve Defender0 matches played0 goals scoredApril 11 out since16 matches missed
Players Questionable for Match
- Injury Soslan Kagermzov Rotation Defender0 matches played0 goals scoredApril 19 out since15 matches missed
- Injury Aleksandr Sandrachuk Reserve Defender0 matches played0 goals scoredJanuary 24 out since30 matches missed