Catastrophic losses of "Rubin"

The new year began for the reigning champion of Russia "Zenith" not in the best way.

In February, the Petersburgers first flew out of the Russian Cup, sensationally yielding to Arsenal at home - 1: 3, and then parted with Rostov in the RPL - 2: 2, giving the pursuers the opportunity to close the gap. 

Following the charges of Sergei Semak was waiting for an equally serious test - an away meeting with Rubin.

Kazan in the last round delighted their own fans by scoring two unanswered goals against Spartak.

But the team has already beaten Zenit this season.

The first round match between the rivals ended in an unexpected strong-willed victory of the guests - 2: 1.

True, at home, the two-time national champion traditionally plays with guests from the Northern capital not very successfully.

In the last six meetings, he suffered five defeats and one draw.

The last victory over the blue-white-blue in their native walls took place back in July 2013.

Then Rubin took over (2: 1) thanks to goals from Gökdeniz Karadeniz and Jose Salomon Rondon in the 95th minute.

It was especially difficult for Slutsky's team to interrupt the unsuccessful series this time due to serious staffing problems.

Oliver Abilgor, Oleg Shatov and Silvie Begich missed the match due to disqualifications.

Moreover, the removal of the Dane in the game with Spartak was recognized by the RFU commission as erroneous.

And Alexey Gritsaenko, Mikhail Merkulov, Hwang In-Böm and Alexander Zuev were out of action due to injuries.

Semak could not count only on the injured goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov and midfielder Malcolm.

The first at the last line was expectedly replaced by Andrey Lunev, and the second, as in previous games, was replaced by Wendel.

Slutsky had to plug a hole in the support zone with the newcomer Leon Musaev, who for the first time in his career had to confront the former team.

He only moved from St. Petersburg to Kazan in the winter.

And on the right flank of the defense is Georgy Zotov.

Controversial penalty after watching VAR

The game started disastrously for the hosts.

They immediately gave the ball to the opponent and pressed against their own goal.

And Musaev seemed to dissolve on the field and did not interrupt the attacks of the former team in the support zone.

Already in the first minutes "Zenith" created several killer moments.

First, Serdar Azmun almost from the goalkeeper's line after Vyacheslav Karavaev's lumbago struck the near post.

Then Yuri Dyupin not without difficulty coped with a long-range shot from outside the penalty area performed by Wendel.

Finally, the goalkeeper miraculously saved his partners, coping with a powerful blow from Karavaev.

In the same episode, Musaev and Philip Uremovich were injured in a collision with each other.

Both tried to interrupt the serve in the penalty area of ​​Kazan and collided with their heads.

As a result, Leon, due to a strong cut in his lip, could not continue the game, and the Croat's head was bandaged.

Slutsky had to change the midfielder to the nominal forward Mikhail Kostyukov.

It was he who was forced to take a place in the support zone.

But what happened, oddly enough, cheered up the Rubin players.

They pushed the game away from their own gates and began to launch counterattacks.

True, Zenit continued to create dangerous moments.

Azmun was still unlucky.

In the 19th minute, he dangerously hit his head from outside the penalty area, but again hit the post.

It seemed that Semak's wards, sooner or later, would still open an account, but the owners unexpectedly managed to do this.

Shortly before the whistle for the break, the ball after passing to Djordje Despotovich from the left flank fell into the hand of Daler Kuzyaev.

Judge Sergei Karasev initially did not appoint a penalty, but after a meeting with his colleagues at VAR he went to watch the replay.

It took the referee about two minutes and in the end he still pointed to the "point".

A massive brawl almost broke out on the field.

The Zenit footballers and the team's coaching staff believed that Kuzyaev's hand in the controversial episode was in a natural position, and therefore there was no violation of the rules. 

One way or another, Despotovich, with a rebound from the crossbar, sent the ball into the net and scored the tenth goal in the current RPL season. 

In the time remaining before the break, the guests could well have restored the status quo on the scoreboard, but they were again unlucky.

And it was as if a curse was imposed on Azmun.

Only in stoppage time, he missed two one hundred percent chances.

At first, the striker missed the empty corner of the goal from several meters.

True, it was not easy for the Iranian to adapt to the strong lumbago of Magomed Ozdoev at the knee level.

Then, after hitting the striker with his head, Rubin once again saved the incredible Dupin.

An unexpected ending in the ending

In the second half, Kazan finally gave the initiative to the opponent.

They defended themselves with the whole team and relied only on counterattacks, especially since Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Denis Makarov and Despotovich remained on the other side of the field.

However, Zenit did not offer the opponent anything more interesting than banal overhangs from the flanks, which Karl Starfelt and Uremovich, as a rule, confidently coped with.

And Artyom Dziuba was almost invisible in this game.

On the other hand, it would be difficult to show other football on low-quality turf.

The Petersburgers rested on the opponent's defensive formations and could not break through them in any way.

Dangerous moments at the gate of Dupin no longer arose.

We can only recall a blow from outside the penalty area of ​​Wendel and a slightly inaccurate shot by Kuzyaev.

However, when it seemed that Kazan would still hold out, Zenit evened the score.

The standard position helped the guests to distinguish themselves.

Yaroslav Rakitskiy from the right flank made an excellent cross into the hosts' penalty area, and Azmun scored with his head.

Dupin and this time got to the ball, but failed to save his team.

Semak immediately refreshed the game, throwing Danil Krugovoy, Alexei Sutormin, Andrey Mostovoy and Alexander Erokhin into the battle.

Among other things, Rakitskiy left the field with a knee injury.

The Ukrainian was so reluctant to end the game ahead of schedule that he almost quarreled with the coaching staff.

Having received reinforcements, "Zenith" with renewed forces began the last assault on the gates of Dupin.

But the denouement was completely unexpected.

After another filing into the penalty area of ​​Kazan, Despotovich, who had departed into the defense, brought the ball forward in the direction of Makarov.

Denis broke through to someone else's penalty area, accompanied by Wendel and Lovren, several times removed the Croat on the backswing and sent the ball into the far corner with a perfect kick with a rebound from the bar.

But that was not the end.

In the 97th minute, Starfelt knocked Sutormin down in his own penalty right near the front.

Karasev, as in the first half, did not assign a penalty, but, having received a hint from his colleagues, went to watch the replay.

And in this case, the arbiter also decided to point to the point.

The eleven-dimensional went to perform Dzyuba, but did it ingenuously.

The attacker slightly shot into the right corner, and Dupin guessed the direction of the ball and saved the team.

Thus, Rubin scored three points in one of the brightest matches of the current RPL season and won a second victory in a row.

Kazan also beat Zenit for the second time in the current league season.

And the fight for the title in the national championship actually began anew.