Zenit-2 resume their season with an away defeat

Zenit-2 returned to PFL action on Thursday, but fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Znamya Truda.

Zenit-2 resume their season with an away defeat

The game was end to end from the start but neither side could find a break through. Then, in the 28th minute, Znamya were awarded a penalty. Ermilov’s long thrown in was half cleared away by Kirill Krastov, but only as far as Dmitri Dolgov. The defender played the ball to Maksim Radchenko who then played a one-two pass to Yaroslav Frolov on the right following an overlapping run. Vasili Zaprygaev was adjudged to have caught the running Radchenko in the face inside the area and the referee awarded a penalty. Rustam Vazditinov stepped up to take the spot kick for the home side and slotted it low, beyond Nikoli Rybikov’s outstretching left glove to take the lead.

Znamya doubled their lead 10 minutes into the second half. Dmitri Zakharov collected the ball inside Zenit’s half and sent it upfield. The tricky midfielder received the ball back in the area and was brought down as he laid it off to Frolov to strike first time. Rybikov came off his line quickly to parry the ball away with his left hand but the referee brought the game back for the foul on Zakkharov and awarded another penalty. Aleksei Zhitnikov was on duty this time to take the spot kick and put it the same way his team mate did previously, sending Rybikov the wrong way. 

Zenit responded immediately from kick off. Krastov lobbed the ball to Islam Zhilov on the right side. Zhilov laid the ball off before continuing his run down the right where he received a through pass. The substitute played in a low cross to the back post with his first touch which was struck on the volley by Alexander Elkovskikh. Dolgov blocked the goal bound shot, however Daniil Shamkin was first to the ball firing it in to an empty net.

Znamya finished the scoring off in style the 68th minute, putting the game out of sight for the visitors. Zenit lost possession in the midfield to Nikolai Vovk who passed it forward to Vadim Avtaev. The attacking midfielder took the ball on and then curled a shot from just outside the penalty area beyond a diving Rybikov into the top left corner.

The home side managed to see off Zenit pressure to win the game. Zenit dropped to fourth in the PFL Championship following the result and face 14th placed Kolomna on Tuesday.