Great Performance Didn't Help

In the last weekend's game against Zenit Leonid Kuchuk made two changes in the starting eleven, bringing in Lass Diarra and Renat Yanbaev.

From the first minutes Zenit made it clear they wanted the three points. Shirokov passed to Vitsel who broke into the box and shot at the near corner. Abayev tipped the ball away.

Loko's response was way more dangerous. In the 12th minute the Railwaymen managed a rapid counterattack backed by Boussoufa, who was fouled near the box. Mbark took the kick, bent the ball over the wall but hit the post.

In the next episode Arshavin made a lovely backheel pass to Kerzhakov who kicked the ball goalwards from outside the box. Lucky enough, it went wide.

In the 35th minute Samedov started a watchful combination. Alexander ouplayed Hubocan and centered to Boussoufa. The Moroccan international controlled the ball first touch, turned around and shot but off the woodwork again!

The end of the first half was a crucial moment for Lokomotiv. Kerzhakov ran for a lay-off pass along with Durica who was meant to shake him off the ball. Instead, the Slovak made a strange decision giving the ball away to the opponent. Kerzhakov saw Shirokov all alone in the box and passed to him. The closest man was Diarra who preferred a professional foul, and the referee was quick to give a penalty and issue a red card to the Frenchman. Shirokov took the spot-kick himself. Abayev guessed the kick's direction but didn't manage to get the ball, and the score was opened.

In the half-time Kuchuk decided to call off the striker Felipe Caicedo and boost the defensive midfielders' zone with Yan Tigorev.

Outnumbered, Lokomotiv had to give away the initiative. But the Petersburgers were constantly failing to capitalize on their advantage.

Lokomotiv invented one fast counter-attack after another. Maicon looked really impressive, the Brazilian was active across the pitch up front. In one episode he produced a great cross to Boussoufa, but Mbark lacked just a bit to score. In another, the forward picked up the ball on the left side, broke into the box and shot at the near corner but missed.

Then Tarasov and Maicon produced an opportunity together. The midfielder passed to the box thus bemusing defenders, and the ball came to Maicon. The forward shot first time but Lodygin grabbed the ball.

Eventually, Lokomotiv scored an equalizer. The freshman Tkachyov crossed into the box but an opponent played a handball. The referee was quick to award a penalty, and Boussoufa came up to take a spot-kick. In a second the score was level again.

Lokomotiv suffered the loss of a player, but held on well. Nevertheless, by the 85th minute the Railwaymen started to feel tired, and Zenit managed to use this. Danny ran into the box and passed to Shatov. The latter dummied the defence who ran to shadow him but he let the ball go Zyryanov who sent the ball home.

In the end of the game the Railwaymen were granted a corner kick but failed to convert it into a goal.

Zenit - Lokomotiv 2:1 (1:0)
 
Goals: Shirokov, 43 – pen. (1:0). Boussoufa, 70 – pen. (1:1). Zyryanov, 86 (2:1).
 
Lokomotiv: Abayev, Yanbayev, Durica, Corluka, Denisov, Diarra, Tarasov, Samedov (Tkachyov, 64), Boussoufa, Maicon (N'Doye, 80), Caicedo (Tigorev, 45).
 
Zenit: Lodygin, Lombaerts, Netu, Hubocan, Smolnikov, Danny, Shirokov (Bystrov, 71), Zyryanov, Arshavin (Shatov, 57), Vitsel (Faizulin, 79), Kerzhakov.
 
Yellow cards: Kerzhakov, 7. Corluka, 7. Netu, 14. Yanbayev, 16.
 
Red card: Diarra, 42.
 
September 1. St Petersburg, Petrovskiy stadium.