FK Rostov Vs Zenit St. Petersburg
Saturday 15 August 2020 – 18:00 Kick-Off
Russian Premier League
Pick: Zenit to WIN
Odds: 17/20
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 13 August 2020)
Preview: The spoils were that of Zenit in 2019-20, as the club from Saint Petersburg completed a rare league double over Rostov on their way to a second successive Premier League title. Will the champions be able to repeat their 2-1 victory at Rostov Arena on the final day of last season?
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Table of Contents
Rostov Preview – Last term’s late collapse still a concern?
After capitulating towards the back end of the previous league season, there are questions marks hanging over this side. This, after all, was a side which begun that 2019-20 campaign outstandingly. Nine wins through their first fourteen fixtures had them touted as potential Champions League candidates, while six wins and a draw from their opening seven home games made them formidable in their own backyard.
It all began to unravel in the second half of the season, however, with the enforced break in play around March the catalyst. For most, this team is more recently, and infamously, remembered for its 10-1 shellacking away to Sochi when forced to field a team of youngsters. Despite beating Arsenal Tula immediately after, it was a turning point. Rostov mustered seven points in eight matches after the restart.
The end of last season couldn’t have come any sooner. They finished in fifth place, in a Europa League berth. That they managed one win at home in their final five fixtures at Rostov Arena, where they were also beaten 2-1 in the final round by Zenit, may also have the alarm bells ringing. However, their opening day success away to Tambov, winning 1-0, was a little more like the Rostov of old; workmanlike and clinical.
Zenit Preview – Champs keen to begin title defence with back-to-back wins?
As reigning champions of the Russian Premier League, nothing less than three points were expected from their opening fixture. In this respect they duly delivered, registering maximum points against the best team in the second tier last season with a 2-0 win over Rotor Volgograd. It wasn’t straightforward at times, though, and the abundance of chances conceded might offer some hope to their aspiring rivals.
However, Zenit are masters at getting over the line. They didn’t merely retain their title in 2019-20, they obliterated any notion of a title race by finishing 15 points clear of the rest after losing only two games all season. Lokomotiv Moscow, runners-up last time round, remain the last side to better Sergei Semak’s charges, who last tasted defeat in league competition in September (20 games: W16 D4).
Last season, Zenit posted comfortably the strongest numbers on their travels. Their tally for points (37 from 45) was at least five better than anyone else, while no team plundered more goals (28, coming at 1.87-per-game) or kept out more (9, conceding 0.6 per-game). All hinting, perhaps, at another fairly routine outine away at Rostov Arena, where a 2-1 win in the final round capped off a dominant 2019-20.
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Rostov Vs Zenit Betting Advice
Both teams made winning returns to the Premier League. Rostov edging a tight and rather dour encounter in Tambov, as Zenit were beginning the defence of their crown with a 2-0 success away at newly-promoted Rotor Volgograd. The latter are favourites here, and understandably so after last season’s superb exploits, however, they will know this is a potential banana skin fixture.
Rostov Vs Zenit – Key Facts
- In 2019-20, Rostov went unbeaten in their first seven matches played at home, winning six, before managing a further two victories in their final eight home games (W2 D2 L4).
- It is now 20 Premier League games without defeat for Zenit, who have failed to win only one of their past ten away matches (W9 D1) in the competition.
- Zenit did the league double over Rostov last season, winning 6-1 at home and 2-1 away, but have won on one of their previous six visits to Rostov in league and cup.
Zenit prevailed home and away last season, winning 6-1 in Saint Petersburg and 2-1 in Rostov. However, Rostov can take heart from one home defeat in six league and cup games versus the current Russian champs. Though the hosts boast only one win in their previous five league home games, losing three. Meanwhile, Zenit have only dropped points on three occasions away from home since the start of last season and have won nine of the last ten said matches.
Best Betting Odds – Rostov Vs Zenit
Rostov – 10/3 (Unibet)
Draw – 5/2 (Betfair)
Zenit – 17/20 (Bet365)
