LATE ZYRYANOV GOAL SENS ZENIT PAST ANZHI

A late, albeit fortunate, goal by Konstantin Zyryanov pushed Zenit Saint Petersburg past Anzhi Makhachkala 2-1 at Petrovsky Stadium. With the result, Luciano Spalletti's side take a commanding four-point lead over CSKA Moscow at the top of the table, whilst Anzhi sets at the twelfth spot as the Rosgosstrakh Championship of Russia heads towards week twelve.


In the warm summer afternoon, Zenit pushed forward without notables Danko Lazović, Radek Šírl and Danny available against Gadzhi Gadzhiev’s well-prepared side. After a quiet start to the contest, Zenit Saint Petersburg went in front 1-0 at the quarter-hour as Vladimir Bystrov accepted the ball from Konstantin Zyryanov on the right side of the area and quickly drove the ball past Anzhi 'keeper Nukri Revishvili.

After the goal, Luciano Spalletti's side found the going tough against the determined visitors with the only chance before the break when Alessandro Rosina's corner from the right forced the Anzhi 'keeper into a close-range stop after the ball rattled off the near post.

After the break, the box-to-box play continued as Zenit showed little ability to penetrate Anzhi’s staunch defending. After a modest effort at the fifty-fifth minute when Alexandr Kerzhakov's free kick called the Anzhi 'keeper into action, the momentum shifted in the visitor’s favour. With Zenit clinging to a one-goal advantage and unable to put the match away, Anzhi made them pay with the leveller five minutes past the hour.

After a short corner was pulled back to the flank, Rasim Tagirbekov fought off his marker Nicolas Lombaerts, to head in a left wing cross. Realizing the important victory was slipping away, Luciano Spalletti summoned Viktor Fayzulin at the seventy-forth minute with the highly promising eighteen-year old striker Maxim Kanunnikov to follow five minutes later. Despite their efforts, Gadzhi Gadzhiev’s side were holding Zenit at bay and looked to be in route to a draw until disaster struck with three minutes remaining in regulation time.

Coming via a simple cross into the box, Anzhi 'keeper Nukri Revishvili completely misplayed the ball off the bounce, spilling it out from the line to which veteran Konstantin Zyryanov dutifully sent the gift into the net. In a complete loss of composure, Anzhi's David Tsorayev received his second yellow for dissent, ruling him out of key attacker for their match against Lokomotiv Moscow on Saturday.

For the balance of time, Zenit Saint Petersburg killed off any advances and laid claim to the full three points, albeit somewhat fortuitously, with the 2-1 victory.