Nizhny Novgorod vs Neftekhimik

Pari NN put on a statement performance at home, blitzing Neftekhimik 5-1 to stay perfect on the season. The tie was effectively over inside the opening 21 minutes, as one man ran riot before the visitors could settle. That man was Vyacheslav Grulyov, who bagged a rapid-fire hat-trick in the 7th, 9th, and 21st minutes to blow the game open early. Gleb Popolitov added a fourth in the 49th minute before Yan Gudkov made it five in the 67th. Neftekhimik grabbed a late consolation through Enri Mukba in the 88th minute, but it did little to soften the scale of the beating. For Pari NN, it's another statement of intent — five rounds in, they remain the division's only team with a maximum points tally, underlining their status as early pacesetters. For Neftekhimik, it's a chastening afternoon on the road that exposes real work to do defensively if they want to keep pace near the top.