RPL Matchday 18
Zenit St. Petersburg 3-0 FC Pari Nizhny Novgorod
Saturday 4 March, Gazprom Arena, St. Petersburg

Goals: Zenit – Malcom (12, 47), Erokhin (82)
Man of the Match: Malcom (Zenit)

Zenit came back to the title race facing Pari NN with RPL newcomer Artem Gorlov, 35-year-old became the head coach moving from First League team Enisey. Earlier this week Nizhny Novgorod beat Zvezda St. Petersburg in Regions Path of Russian Cup, but then they were dominate, and now Zenit outplayed them. Leaders got the advantage early, when Malcom scored free kick directly, which happened to him first time in RPL. Then Brazilian scored another rare goal for him, after he sent the ball to the net with his head. This tied Malcom with Vladimir Sychevoy (Pisarsky) and Quincy Promes and even put him ahead of them, as he never scored penalties this season. Aleksandr Erokhin made the score huge with powerful shot to the top corner marking his first goal this season.

Zenit continue leading on 45 points, while Pari NN still twelfth with 19 points.

Next RPL fixtures: Sunday 12 March – Zenit vs Khimki, Rostov vs Pari NN