Spartak and Zenit played a spectacular match in the first semi-final of the RPL route of the Russian Cup. The champion turned the game around and achieved a decisive victory from Moscow. The second leg will be played in Saint Petersburg on April 17.
Guillermo Abascal and Sergei Semak demonstrated with the starting eleven of their teams that for them the “copper derby of the two capitals” is perhaps a little less important than for the fans. In Spartak there was a partial rotation: Maksimenko, Zobnin, Litvinov, Zinkovsky and Ignatov were not included in the starting lineup. Zenit had eight changes compared to the last day of the RPL: Adamov, Nino, Douglas Santos, Wendel, Claudinho, Artur, Mostovoy and the top scorer of the Russian championship, Cassierra, remained on the bench.
If Spartak did not abandon the usual 4-4-2 system, then Zenit played with three central defenders, according to the 5-4-1 system. It seemed that the champion had come to Moscow to maintain a goalless draw and thus solve all the problems in the second leg in St. Petersburg. At least that conclusion could be drawn from what happened when the score was 0-0. Semak’s team closed in and sat in deep defense. Spartak took the ball and advanced with great forces. It was felt that the hosts were very excited about the duel against Zenit.
The initial pressure from Abascal’s team brought them an early goal. Spartak took advantage of the first scoring opportunity in the 12th minute. The key figure in this episode was Sobolev, who beat Rodrigao and Erakovic after Bongonda’s serve and made a discount for Ugalde. The Costa Rican scored his first goal with the rojiblancos with a touch shot and adapted well to his teammate. Semak showed that Sobolev had touched with his hand during the attack, but, according to referee Karasev and his VAR assistants, this was not a foul.
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“Spartak” recovered the ball well thanks to counterpressing, and “Zenith” seemed to have no middle line. Loss after loss. The young Brazilian talent Pedro had five kopeck eyes and an expression on his face as if he were wondering “Where did I end up?” The blue and white took half time to get their positional attack going. After half an hour of play, the champions finally took the first shot on goal thanks to the efforts of Akhmetov.
But in the 42nd minute, Pedro, who had adapted, still showed why he is so appreciated among the new generation of Brazilian players. He made a powerful pass, evaded several Spartak players and shot the post from outside the area! This was Zenit’s best moment. Before the break, I still remember the mini-conflict between Ugalde and Alip. The scorer provoked him with a tough game, the Kazakh responded rudely and both rightly received a yellow card.
Even before the break, Semak rebuilt the team into a 4-3-3, thus acknowledging that his original plan did not work. And before the second half I changed two and left the leaders in defense and midfield: Nino and Wendel. Zenit, losing on the scoreboard, raised their lines, began to recover the ball higher up and forced the Spartak players to press against their own goal.
Zenit, who were at their best, recovered in the 55th minute. Today was the day of the winter debutants: Pedro also scored his first goal for the blue and white team. The Brazilian executed the episode wonderfully, placing the ball that he had bounced off Duarte in the second corner. Now the Spartak players disputed the goal, claiming that Sergeev had fouled goalkeeper Selikhov seconds earlier. But even here the judges concluded that this was a game moment.
And what did young Pedro, who mustered up his courage, become a true future star? At least for RPL. Before the match against Spartak, the winger had only scored one goal in senior football, but in Moscow he scored a double. Pedro, after receiving a pass in free space from Wendel, which strengthened Zenit’s play, dragged the ball to the area and put it into the top corner as if he had it in his hand. Perhaps the new Zobnin was wrong (Abaskal released him especially for the Brazilian): he should have met with the winger earlier.
Now Spartak needed to recover, but the hosts looked confused and tired. Zenit controlled the match and came close to the third goal, mainly when Sergeev hit the post. For the red and whites, the only dangerous thing was the set pieces in which Babich participated. But not even this weapon works for Abascal’s team this season. Zenit retained the victory. The only problem for Semak was Mostovoy’s injury: competitor Pedro needed a replacement.
