Three days after qualifying to UEFA Europa League’s quarter-finals Zenit visited Moscow for the first derby against local Dynamo (next one in St. Petersburg against CSKA).
Home team started with Dynamo having the movement initiative for the first minutes although without serious threat for Boas’ team who against the game’s pace managed to score first. It was Danny’s brilliant cross that found Smolnikov’s drive past defender Buettner as the Russian’s half-volley shot was too much for keeper Gabulov; 0-1 for Zenit at the 16′ minute.
Zenit grasped momentum levelling the game, possession and passing the ball easier while not allowing Dynamo to be of serious threat for Lodygin.
As expected Moscow’s pressure increased by the minute during the second half as Zenit was a counter-attack threat. Yuri got busier saving a lot of dangerous crosses into the box from key Dynamo players Valbuena and Zhirkov.
Villas Boas replaced Hulk with Rondon and Danny with Tymoschuk, trying to hold on to Smolnikov’s goal and the precious three points into the title race.
Final whistle found Zenit increasing the lead from third team Krasnodar to ten points while keeping the 5-point gap from second CSKA who they meet in Petrovsky in two weeks time, as players join their national teams.
