«Балтика» остановила «Зенит» в Калининграде

Zenit`s Away Struggles Continue

Russia`s wealthiest football club, Zenit St. Petersburg, continues to struggle with away games this season. On Sunday, September 14, they drew 0-0 with Baltika in Kaliningrad. Notably, the home side appeared closer to victory.

Teams coached by Andrei Talalaev are renowned for their exceptional physical conditioning and disciplined play, making them formidable opponents for clubs that favor a more creative, combinatorial style. Baltika`s players showcased immense dedication, aggressively closing down spaces and double-teaming opponents, which effectively stifled Zenit`s attacks, particularly impacting their «pampered» foreign players. Despite Zenit`s attempts, Baltika also created dangerous opportunities, especially from crosses into the penalty area. The goalless draw was ultimately a favorable outcome for Zenit, considering that Spartak, Dynamo, and Lokomotiv had also dropped points against Baltika earlier.

Lokomotiv`s Draw Streak and a Fiery Derby

Following their 1-1 draw with Talalaev`s side, Lokomotiv has entered a challenging phase. Their fourth consecutive draw, this time against Akhmat in Grozny (1-1), left head coach Mikhail Galaktionov visibly disappointed.

«We lacked a bit of speed in decision-making. Also, the opponent played very organized in defense, dropping a large number of players behind the ball line, which limited our opportunities. Credit to the guys for managing to turn the situation around. They scored, but Akhmat still had chances to punish us for defensive lapses when they launched attacks. We all want to break this streak of draws and finally win, but unfortunately, that`s how things are developing today.»

Saturday`s fiery derby between Dynamo and Spartak ended in a 2-2 draw, highlighted by the expulsion of Spartak`s coach Stankovic. Livai Garcia and Bitello both scored braces, with Bitello also involved in a mid-air collision with Denisov that resulted in visible facial injuries for both players.

Krasnodar`s Hard-Fought Win and CSKA`s Unbeaten Run Ends

Krasnodar also endured a difficult match against Akron, who successfully neutralized the league leaders, particularly in the absence of the suspended Cordoba. However, substitute Krivtsov stepped up to score the winning goal, securing a 2-1 victory for the Kuban side. Post-match, head coach Murad Musaev acknowledged Akron`s physical readiness and the threat posed by striker Artyom Dzyuba, admitting his team struggled with second balls.

«It was a very difficult game. Akron is physically well-prepared, with good players. And Artyom Dzyuba is one of the strongest forwards in Russian football. A lot of play goes through him, a lot of battling, second balls. We had problems with this, especially with recoveries. In the second half, we made adjustments and started adding more players to attack. We pressed the opponent, created chances. And I`m glad we believed until the end and scored. The sending-off is also a bit upsetting. It seemed like a simple situation, we needed to play more carefully.»

Musaev expressed frustration over the late red card shown to key player Diego Costa, marking the second consecutive match a Krasnodar player (Cordoba in the previous game against CSKA) had been sent off.

CSKA`s remarkable 21-match unbeaten streak in the RPL, which began on November 23 last year after a home defeat to Rostov, was finally brought to an end by none other than Rostov themselves on September 14. Kuchaev`s goal in the seventh minute (following an Akinfeev error) and subsequent red cards for Gaich before halftime and Alves late in the game left the Army Men with nine players and sealed a surprising 1-0 victory for the hosts.

Upcoming Top Clash: Krasnodar vs. Zenit

The upcoming tenth round features a pivotal clash: Krasnodar vs. Zenit. Despite their current leadership, Krasnodar has a point to prove to their fans, especially after suffering a crushing 1-4 defeat to Zenit on April 13.