The Sportbox.ru expert explained why the Semak team won in Moscow.
The first goal “Zenith” brought himself. We didn’t have such draws of the ball, this fashion came from the West. It’s an infection, nothing good, just a risk that leads to mistakes and stupid goals. In general, the first half turned out to be equal, Zenit added after a missed goal. Wendel corrected his mistake after a beautiful combination with Malcolm.
In the second half, Zenit had more possession of the ball and put serious pressure on Lokomotiv. Semak’s team had chances and good approaches to the goal, while Lokomotiv created almost nothing dangerous. Zenit played enough to win – I bet on that score.
In the moment with the decisive goal, the defender is not to blame, because the first shot on target was very strong, and he managed to beat it off. And then Cassierra finished off from close range and also very powerfully. It was hard to get the ball out. He relied on luck, but no luck, an accident – blows of such strength are not easy to repulse.
Zenit put up the best line-up for today and had to have more possession of the ball, to exert pressure. Moreover, Lokomotiv’s defense is not the strongest line. Pogostnov is generally 19 years old. Zenit’s defense is more experienced and cooler, although Renan is also young. I made an adventurous pass, which led to a goal. But in general, it is no coincidence that Zenit is the leader in the RPL, it surpasses Lokomotiv in the class, which it proved today.
Dziuba played well, clung to the balls in the middle of the field, but he is a dependent player. Artyom is dangerous in the penalty area if he is served well (play actively on the flanks with passes to the center) and put pressure on the opponent. It is also dangerous from the point of view of the post, through it you can play against the wall, as Glushenkov did in the first half. If the Lokomotiv player had been more precise, then everything could have ended badly for Zenit.
Photo: © Dmitry Chelyapin / Match TV
In principle, Lokomotiv uses Dziuba with less classy opponents. And Dziuba knows Zenit well, they built the game in such a way that they blocked the flanks, did not allow them to play actively. And with Dzyuba in the penalty area, one played, the other insured. In general, they were able to close it, because he did not have one hundred percent scoring chances. In the very ending there was a dangerous situation, but there was an offside position. Galaktionov hoped for Dziuba to the end, and therefore did not change him. Artyom is effective when playing in bulk, he can win the fight in the air, fold, but today he failed to score.
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