A tale of two contrasting teams
This Sunday’s clash between FK Zenit St. Petersburg and FC Rostov could be pivotal in either maintaining Zenit’s title aspirations, or in providing Rostov with a much-needed boost to climb the table. Our FK Zenit St. Petersburg vs FC Rostov preview highlights Zenit sitting in their accustomed position at the top end of the log, but Rostov are too far down the standings for comfort and could get sucked into a mid-table battle.
Zenit boss Sergei Semak’s men are a consistent unit, which makes them such a force in this division. A possession-based side, Zenit’s quality and technical nous should see them control the tempo of the game, with midfield anchor Wilmar Barrios providing the defensive steel and Gustavo Mantuan the flair to pick the lock of stubborn defences. Zenit have been in strong form this season, winning three, drawing one and losing once in their last five league games, scoring an average of 2.0 goals while conceding just 0.2 per-match.
Rostov will make life tough for Zenit
While Rostov have struggled in recent weeks, winning once, drawing once and losing three of their last five, they’ve scored an impressive 1.6 goals during that time. However, conceding an average of 1.0 per match is a concern and they’ll need to be at their best defensively to keep Zenit out on Sunday. No Rostov player has really stood out for the visitors so far this campaign, but their front three are a dangerous unit when given the space to exploit mistakes and set pieces.
Rostov manager is a pragmatic manager, setting up his team to be stubborn and stingy, frustrating the opposition and giving his team the platform to hit on the counter. The FK Zenit St. Petersburg vs FC Rostov odds see Zenit as the clear favourites at 1.313, with Rostov 11 and the draw 6.11. I think a draw would be a great result for the visitors, but I can’t see them getting anything here given Zenit’s superior form and recent superiority in this fixture.
Zenit to grind out a result
Zenit’s more proactive approach should give them the control in this game, but Rostov’s stubborn deep-block approach could make Zenit work hard for their victory. When considering the FK Zenit St. Petersburg vs FC Rostov prediction, these contrasting styles set the stage for an intriguing battle.
Rostov will be dangerous on the occasional break, but Zenit have been in good form of late, rotating players in and out and not seeing their performance suffer. The FK Zenit St. Petersburg vs FC Rostov prediction leans heavily in favour of the hosts, thanks to their superior squad depth and form.
Zenit’s clinical striker Aleksandr Sobolev is a focal point in attack for the hosts, so back the hosts to continue their impressive form with a professional win, given the difference in class between these sides and Rostov’s counter-attacking approach. Our FK Zenit St. Petersburg vs FC Rostov betting tips suggest that Zenit are likely to claim all three points in a tightly contested fixture.
