FC Nizhny Novgorod — Akron : Match Preview and Prediction for October 18,2025

Pari NN’s Challenging Form

Alexey Shpilevsky’s Pari NN displays an open, aggressive style of play. However, there’s a growing sentiment that the players aren’t entirely suited to the tactical demands of the former Aris Limassol coach. While Nizhny Novgorod’s game can seem rather adventurous and certainly entertaining for spectators, their recent form is concerning: 8 losses in their last 9 matches across all competitions is, to put it mildly, a subpar performance.

Critical Period for the Coach

Before the international break, Pari NN suffered a 1-2 away defeat to Sochi, handing their opponents their first victory of the season. Currently sitting in 15th place, the period from October to November, leading up to the next international fixtures, appears to be a critical juncture for the Belarusian coach at the helm of Pari NN. Despite the mounting pressure and rumors of his dismissal, even after the loss to Sochi, Shpilevsky vehemently denies them, humorously stating that “if all rumors were true, he would have committed suicide long ago.” This upcoming match against Akron is of immense importance for the home side, with Nizhny Novgorod only missing Ektov due to absence.

Akron’s Underwhelming Season

At Akron, there are currently no discussions regarding Tedeev’s potential dismissal, despite the team’s performance being only marginally better than that of the hosts. Nevertheless, their results since finishing 9th in their debut RPL season have been far from satisfactory. Akron sits 13th, two points ahead of Nizhny Novgorod, but the Tolyatti-based club’s recent displays have also been underwhelming.

Recent Resilience and New Signings

A record of 8 defeats in their last 10 games, including cup fixtures, is certainly not something to boast about. However, before the recent break, the ‘Red-Blacks’ unexpectedly managed to secure a valuable point against Zenit (1-1) in Samara, a match where Dzyuba missed a crucial penalty in injury time that could have sealed their victory. While new reinforcements like Rocha, Bistrovic, Sevikyan, and Agapov have joined, they are still in the process of adapting to the team and Tedeev’s tactical demands. Fortunately for the visitors, all players are available for the match in Nizhny Novgorod.