It has been nearly two months since Zenit won the Russian championship and Villas Boas men established their domestic authority, after beating Lokomotiv Moscow in the SuperCup final at Petrovsky stadium.
Niasse’s goal gave the advantage to the visitors (28′) who kept the lead throughout the whole game while looking through counter-attacks for a second one. Zenit on the other hand was circling around Guilherme’s posts, as Moscow was giving away foul after foul, but the Blue-White-Sky blues couldn’t find the way into the net.
Lokomotiv needed to hold for another seven minutes to win the cup, but Zenit’s pressure paid off with Hulk delivering a foul kick into the box, Witsel’s head giving the assist to Smolnikov, who from a close range sent the game to extra time.
Fatigue was getting players’ feet heavier (first official game of the new season) and extra time had nothing to show for except Axel’s big chance (volley shot gone wide) to finish the game three minutes before going to penalties.
Zenit was luckier in the process (Shatov missed one, Moscow two) with Criscito landing the last one into Guilherme’s left post, crowning Zenit Supercup winners of 2015.
