Last season’s surprise FC Krasnodar (4th place) travelled to St. Petersburg for the fifth matchday of the Russian Premier League as the hosts had only the win in mind to keep up with CSKA Moscow, who already build a difference from the rest of the teams.
First get-to-know 15 minutes didn’t produce any threats for both keepers, but it was Krasnodar’s fans celebrating first as centre back Sigurdsson scored with a header (doubtful offside) putting an early pressure to Zenit.
Axel Witsel had an attacking outburst for ten minutes; A weak header (28′), a long range shot scratching Dykan’s left post (30′) and a nice shot at the edge of Krasnodar’s box deflected to a corner kick, all didn’t bring the equalizer as Zenit had clearly stepped up their game.
Krasnodar defence held for the first half as both Hulk’s powerful kick and Anuykov’s shot inside Dykan’s box, didn’t tie things up after 45′ minutes.
Zenit got back into the pitch for the second half with the only option to attack but the visitors froze Petrovsky stadium for a second time as Yuri Lodygin misjudged Laborde’s long shot, conceiving for a second time.
Villas Boas and his men had a mountain to climb especially with Krasnodar’s massive defence and a look out for a third goal in counter-attacks. Subs Fayzoulin, Criscito and Dolgov didn’t bring anything new in the game and Zenit suffered their first home defeat for the new season, sitting now in the second place with 12 points.
