SuperCup Winner Decided In Penalty Shootout

On July 12, Lokomotiv contested for the SuperCup against Zenit.

As another season has ended, the Russian Cup contest has been won, the summer break has passed and the two-week long training camp is behind, the country is getting ready for the start of the new season. Traditionally, it is opened by the ‘clash of the titans’: the Russian champion vs the Russian Cup winner. This year it is Zenit vs Lokomotiv respectively.

Lokomotiv arrived from Austria the day before and held an evening training session at Petrovskiy Stadium.

Next day despite the gloomy skies and some rain the stadium was full. No weather can stop a real football fan. Lokomotiv supporters were very distinct in the crowd, wearing the traditional red-green colours.

The foreign players limit was suspended for this game but nevertheless the teams featured the optimum number of them on the pitch. The Railwaymen’s newbie Alexander Kolomeytsev started the game.

The game began with Lokomotiv’s attacks that made the hosts pull back to their goal. But soon both teams remembered about the importance of the game and became more careful.

However, Lokomotiv had a chance that they used to the maximum. Tarasov fought for the ball and passed to Niasse who rolled it accurately into the corner past the keeper.

Early in the second half the atmosphere became extremely hot: every decision of the referee caused arguments and small quarrels. In a very short time Zenit earned several free kicks that posed danger to Lokomotiv’s goal but our defence played carefully. Guilherme earned a yellow card when he was forced to grab the ball again after he had released it - Dzyuba jumped out from behind and was ready to steal the ball. The amount of hard tackles grew considerably.

Seven minutes to the end Zenit finally capitalized on one of their chances. They played a set piece and Smolnikov scored an equalizer that took the teams to the extra time.

The two short halves saw both teams wasting their opportunities: at Lokomotiv, Niasse could have finished a good cross, while at Zenit Vitsel had a chance to score.

The fate of the SuperCup was decided in a penalty shootout. Zenit were more cold-blooded, and claimed the trophy. The Railwaymen are looking forward - there are 30 rounds of the championship, the Russian Cup, and the long-awaited Europa League ahead.

2015 Russian SuperCup

Zenit - Lokomotiv - 1:1 (4:2 pen.)
Goals: Niasse, 27 (1:0). Smolnikov, 83 (1:1)

Zenit: Lodygin, Criscito, Lombaerts, Netu, Smolnikov (Ansaldi, 119), Yusupov (Ryazantsev, 64), Xavi Garcia, Vitsel, Shatov, Dzyuba (Rondon, 64), Hulk.
Lokomotiv: Guilherme, Denisov, Corluka, Pejcinovic, Shishkin, Tarasov (Mykhalyk, 91), Kolomeytsev, Kasaev (Samedov, 76), Maicon (Grigoryev, 97), Al. Miranchuk, Niasse.
Bookings: Kasaev, 43. Guilherme, 54. Tarasov, 75. Rondon, 90. Criscito, 93. Netu, 105. Kolomeytsev, 120.
Referee: Alexey Nikolayev
July 12. St Petersburg. Petrovskiy Stadium.