Zenit began the fifth round of the Russian Premier League sitting in fourth place with eight points, while CSKA led on ten and shared first with Spartak. Although both teams had identical points and tiebreakers, the army club stood fifth due to last season’s higher finish.
In the opening half, Zenit dictated possession and pressed high, keeping the ball at their feet and repeatedly testing CSKA’s goal. In the fifth minute, Dejan Lovren delivered a cross for a far-post header toward the target, but Malcolm could not connect in time. The Brazilian then tried again, only to see the ball drift wide and into Igor Akinfeev’s guarded area. At twenty-five minutes, Ivan Sergeev’s close-range effort found the net only to be denied by a sharp save from CSKA’s goalkeeper.
Akinfeev emerged as the hero of the first period, pulling off several stops as Zenit pressed relentlessly for a breakthrough before the break.
As the clock approached halftime, Mostovoy played a precise pass into the penalty area where Malcolm struck the post, eliciting a look of urgency from the goalkeeper with a whispered reminder that there remained only a minute to play.
For the second half, CSKA manager Vladimir Fedotov introduced Jorge Carrascal, a season regular who had been sidelined by injury. Carrascal injected pace and rhythm, enabling the army side to unleash more rapid counters. In the sixtieth minute, a contentious moment arose when Rodrigao nudged Chalov in the box, earning a penalty. CSKA converted to seize the lead, but the game paused amid a scuffle around the penalty area with Vedel and Kirill Nababkin exchanging words, and Kukuyan unable to restore order immediately. Yellow cards kept discipline tight and the match tense.
Chalov, undeterred by the moment, calmly converted the ensuing spot kick to restore parity for Zenit.
The remainder of the match followed a familiar pattern: Zenit controlled possession and pressed for a winner, while CSKA counted on swift counters. A particularly controversial moment involved Carrascal gathering a pass on the run, going down in the box, and finishing past Kerzhakov with Nikita Ermakov involved as the assist man. Officials ruled the goal out after a lengthy VAR review due to an offside position, a decision that sparked debate among observers about the proximity of the call and how offsides were interpreted that day.
With moments remaining, Mantouan was introduced and added a fresh spark. He drifted from the flank into central areas, teamed up in a quick wall, and fired from outside the area, striking the post before finding the net on the rebound. That goal gave Zenit a late edge and a hard-earned lead.
In stoppage time, CSKA earned another possible penalty when Rodrigao challenged in the box again. The referee hesitated before ruling against a penalty after another VAR review, a decision that frustrated CSKA but left them within reach of a comeback that never fully materialized.
The final whistle confirmed Zenit’s 2-1 victory, their third win of the season, briefly lifting them to the top of the table with eleven points.
During the match, Zenit fans observed a solemn anniversary by honoring the Kursk submarine crew. A banner depicting a submarine was raised to mark the disaster that claimed 118 lives on August 12, a reminder of the resonance such moments hold for the club and its supporters.
Commenting on the result, former Spartak player and coach Valery Gladilin noted Zenit’s superiority in open play, while CSKA showed resilience and the potential to force a draw. He highlighted Zenit’s stronger first half and suggested CSKA’s defense improved after halftime, though there were chances the army side could have converted for a decisive win. Gladilin described the match as one with moments of brilliance from both Brazilian attackers and the veteran Akinfeev, emphasizing how the result hinged on small margins and refereeing decisions. He added that the canceled goal might have stood under different interpretations, reflecting on officiating challenges and the limitations of video review in certain situations.
Another former official, Sergei Khusainov, offered a critical view of the decision to cancel the goal, arguing it should have counted and explaining why Kukuyan and the VAR team reached their call. He asserted that attacking plays deserve clear outcomes and that VAR should ultimately support authentic scoring moments rather than erase them. The exchange around officiating underscored a broader discussion about balance between on-field action and review technology, a dynamic shaping high-stakes matches in the Russian Championship.