After Dynamo unexpectedly lost to Ural at home (2:3), the main intrigue of the 27th round took shape completely. Zenit got a great chance to become a champion three rounds before the end. A dismantled Lokomotiv came to visit the Petersburgers, it was easy to get down with the animals. Moreover, in the last case, it was in the match with the “railroad workers” that the team of Sergei Semak took the title. Then the guests from the capital smashed with a score of 6:1.

This time, such a defeat did not happen, and the guests even found themselves in contact with the resistance. However, champions note that they know how to win not only in their class, but also through pain. Even Kerzhakov’s terrible blunder did not save Loko, thanks to which the intrigue in the league came to life for some time.

A key role was played by a football player who could leave the field in the first half due to a rescue. Now that’s a champion character!

Kerzhakov brings, Claudinho endures

Before the match, it became known that the RPL Cup was heading to St. Petersburg. It endured that in the event of a victory, Zenit could truly celebrate the championship today. However, the meeting for the hosts did not start like a champion. Defender Nurali Alip passed back to Mikhail Kerzhakov. The goalkeeper of “Zenith” decided to play the ball in one touch, but this touch turned out to be unsuccessful. The ball went to Girano Kerk, who went to the end of the pressure. The Dutchman in front of the gate did not hesitate. Already in the 4th minute, Loko took the lead, and the early championship of St. Petersburg got the right.

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discovery, the game takes place in the use of “railroad”. They reliably defended themselves and sometimes reached a sharp approach to the gates of others. But then there was a turning point. It all started with the fact that Claudinho gained distribution in a collision with Maxim Nenakhov. Looked chief creative “Zenith” does not matter. It seems that the Brazilian even had tears in his eyes. Surely, the coaching staff was seriously worried: can the midfielder even continue the game?

Claudinho did. And, barely returning to the field, he made a pre-goal pass. Canopy on Yuri Alberto, throws off on Ivan Sergeyev that – and the former non-textual Samara citizen Guilherme does not have a single chance. After that, Zenit took the initiative into their own hands, and Loko could only figure out the strange state of Kerzhakov, who continued to play weird at his gate.

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Towards the end of the first half, Claudinho again said a special word. first you had to face Nenakhov! This time the Brazilian has already recorded an assist at his own expense. After a corner, he made a tricky pass “under the wave” – ​​and this wave turned out to be Malcolm, who played ahead of the curve. Zenit took the lead, which looked like quite natural events.

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“Zenith” is growing

During the break, Douglas Santos said that Zenit needed to “put their heads in order.” Petersburgers were really nervous in the first half. Having rested, the team began to show a completely different football. The hosts have completely seized the initiative and no longer go back to themselves any excesses. Already in the 48th minute, the gap in the score could have increased if not for the video assistant referee Vladimir Moskalev. They recorded offside in the attack of Zenit – and Sergeyev was left without a double. And if you remember that in the first case, Ivan was deprived of a goal because of an offside position, then without a tie-trick.

For Loko, everything looked pretty hopeless. If in the first half the team still showed at least something in the attack, then after the break, even rare approaches to the “railwaymen” ceased to succeed. And then Dmitry Barinov was injured, and Sergei Babkin was thrown into a bone marrow injury. Also on the field were Anton Miranchuk and Francois Camano, who had just recovered from serious injuries.

But the output of experienced attack players, alas, did not meet any role. One gets the impression that Loko is playing at the limit of its capabilities. When the camera pulled out close-ups of the players, you could see how heavily they were breathing. But Zenit easily ran forward and often put an end to the question of the winner of the match. Fresh Andrei Mostovoy broke through on his own flank, went to the gate and easily outplayed Guilherme. No resistance, no problems… And Zenit is the champion of Russia for the fourth time in a row!

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The current championship, like all others, went to Zenit by right. To date, the Petersburgers are by far the strongest of all other teams in the Premier League. However, today not only the class was a decisive success factor. “Zenith” is typical for the match for the title and can celebrate a well-deserved victory.