Vlašić’s goal in the end of the half, removal of Biyol and a successful substitution from Semak: how Zenit tied with CSKA

Goncharenko’s cautious tactics and Zenit leadership following the results of the first round

The match “Zenith” - CSKA in St. Petersburg in many ways was the key for both teams. The hosts got the opportunity to break away even more from their pursuers, because thanks to the misfire of Lokomotiv in Ufa, Sergei Semak's wards guaranteed themselves leadership in the first round. Guests also needed to reduce the gap from the first three.

At the same time, the opponents approached the match in a different state. “Zenith” scored an excellent move and, having won three victories in a row in the RPL, rose to first place. An excellent form was also demonstrated by the attacking duet of the Serdar Azmun team - Artyom Dziuba. In the last three matches of the championship, they did not leave the field without points for performance.

CSKA in October, on the contrary, plunged into a deep crisis and did not win victories in all tournaments over five matches. It was possible to interrupt this series only in the cup meeting with Ufa, but in it the army team could well have lost. In addition, Viktor Goncharenko was forced to throw many of his leaders into battle, who, under the conditions of a modest cadre of personnel, were already extremely worn out.

“Zenith” also won the Cup on Wednesday, but Semak had the opportunity to calmly rotate and give the majority of the players a rest, and Petersburgers did not leave Tomi’s chances - 4-0.

As a result, at a match with the former team, the Zenit coach got the opportunity to release all the key performers fresh, in particular Dziubu, who received little damage before the fight with Wings of the Soviets. And the place at the last frontier was again taken by Mikhail Kerzhakov, the more so Andrei Lunev was injured and did not get into the application for the match.

As for Goncharenko, the head coach of CSKA decided to play with extreme caution. To help the five defenders in the supporting zone, the coach released Kristian Bistrovich and Yaku Biyola.

The 17-year-old defender of the army, Vadim Karpov, for whom this game was special, was also the basis, because the young footballer is a native of the city on the Neva and a pupil of the Zenit sports school. But the place on the left edge of the defense this time was taken by the universal Ivan Oblyakov, and not Konstantin Kuchaev. Arnor Sigurdsson, who recently steadily stepped out from the first minutes, also remained on the bench.

The first shot on target in the 28th minute and Vlasic's unexpected goal

“Zenith” from the first minutes took the ball under its control, but the attacks of St. Petersburg did not carry a special danger. CSKA, defending themselves reliably, calmly controlled all the attacks of the leader. It was very difficult for Semak’s wards to pass the opponent’s saturated support zone.

Red-blue, in turn, relied mainly on counterattacks and skill of Nikola Vlašić, who actively clung to the balls and looked for gears of partners, or beat himself if the distance to the goal was small.

It is not surprising that in such an accurate game of the first shot on target, the fans had to wait almost half an hour. Only in the 28th minute did the experienced Yuri Zhirkov shoot into the far corner from outside the penalty area. No less experienced Akinfeev took the ball.

By the way, it was the 36-year-old defender, and not Dziuba with Azmun, who was the main threat to the gates of CSKA. He chalked up, perhaps, the most dangerous moment of “Zenith” in the first half. After the Iranian rebate, Zhirkov beat almost from the penalty spot, but Akinfeev predicted the direction of the ball’s flight and again easily repelled the blow.

The guests had no moments at all. I remember only the canopy of Mario Fernandez from the right flank, after which the ball almost flew into the net, but, hitting the crossbar, went to the corner. Several times from a distance Vlasic beat very inaccurately.

However, when the fans were already preparing for the break, the Croat unexpectedly scored. In the compensated time for the first half, Akinfeev relieved the ball from his goal, Chalov finally won the horse fight, and Vlašić, breaking into the penalty area, just shot into the far corner. This goal was the sixth in the RPL for the Croat. The hosts clearly did not expect such an ending from CSKA. In fact, the very first shot of the army team on target was successful.

Heroic defense from CSKA and two brawls

How successfully the first half ended for CSKA, the second began so unsuccessfully. No sooner had the game resumed when Billol received two yellow cards one after the other. First, on the flank, he held Dzubu with his hand to thwart the attack, and then in the center of the field he played dangerously against Barrios. It remains to be recognized that Judge Mikhail Vilkov wrote out both “mustard plaster” absolutely in the case.

And if, before the removal of the Slovenian, the army team calmly restrained the Zenit attacks, then after it they were forced to retreat literally by the whole team. Goncharenko, in order to somehow patch up the “hole” gaping in the supporting zone, released instead of Akhmetov Kirill Nababkin. An experienced defender went to the left flank of the defense, and Oblyakov shifted to the center.

Semak threw fresh Alexander Erokhin and Oleg Shatov into battle, and Zenit launched a systematic siege. In fact, Petersburgers switched to a game with one defender - Barrios, and Yaroslav Rakitsky took on the role of a point guard. After some time, even Branislav Ivanovich went forward.

CSKA became increasingly difficult, the defense of the team literally bursting at the seams, and only Herrdur Magnusson saved the situation from time to time. The Icelander had a terrific match and made a huge number of selections and interceptions. But the young Karpov was frankly hard, especially since Dziuba himself regularly appeared next to him.

As a result, it was from the zone of the 17-year-old footballer that the Zenit return ball came. This time, Dziuba shifted to the right edge of the penalty area and issued an excellent transfer to Erokhin, who sent a shell to the far corner in touch. Karpov did not have time to play at the interception, and Artyom chalked up the ninth goal pass in the current RPL season.

It seemed that after this CSKA finally crumble, but in fact the army team managed to even slightly push the game away from their own goal, and the hosts began to lose strength. The guests were taking time. So, after the dangerous game of Azmun on the field, a brawl almost began, and the furious Dziuba almost got together in hand-to-hand combat with Oblyakov.

And Ivan a few minutes later could punish the “Zenith” on the field. He broke up the counterattack of the army, despite the fatigue, and carried out a transfer to the fresh Konstantin Kuchaev, who could not beat Kerzhakov.

In the end, the fans were waiting for the bulk from the Petersburgers, but it did not happen. Competently dragged on time Vlašić, and Goncharenko also threw Cedric Gogua into battle. The meeting ended with another brawl. Calm Mario Fernandez pounced on Douglas Santos for unsportsmanlike behavior.

The final whistle recorded a draw that did not suit Zenit. Petersburgers lost points and gave competitors the opportunity to reduce the gap. But CSKA may well be pleased with one point scored, because for most of the second half, the army team had to heroically fight back and earned praise in their address.