After almost three months without official games in frozen Russia, the winter break came to it’s end with one of the eight quarter finals held between Zenit and Kuban at Petrovsky stadium.
The lack of football rhythm was obvious from both clubs with the two goalkeepers having a quiet first half. Two shots and a header from Axel Witsel and Javi Garcia’s long shot were the only chances for the hosts to produce a goal but Belenov had no problem keeping the clean sheet and teams were lead to half time, goalless.
Zenit kept trying to break Kuban’s defence without success with Shatov, Smolnikov and Mauricio all coming in to find a way into Belenov’s posts. A couple of foul kicks from Hulk and a huge chance from Smolnikov -who didn’t expect the cross to reach him – were the last minutes at Petrovsky with teams heading to extra time.
Belenov was again there to stop Hulk’s shot from the penalty area and when the Russian giant seemed impenetrable, new signing Mauricio was there to prove why Zenit acquired him from Grozny in January. The Brazilian won the foul kick just outside Kuban’s box and with a beautiful curved shot opened the score for Zenit (104′).
Kuban tried but didn’t worry Lodygin for the remaining minutes and St. Petersburg celebrated their qualifying to the semi-finals of the Russian Cup.
