Fakel 0-1 Zenit: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Russian Premier League Matchday 6 · Saturday 29 August 2026 · Central'nyi Stadion Profsoyuzov, Voronezh · referee A. Frolov · full time
Full time: Fakel 0-1 Zenit
Zenit won 1-0 away at Fakel in Russian Premier League Matchday 6 on Saturday 29 August 2026. The goals: Aleksandr Sobolev 90+2'.
How Zenit won it
Aleksandr Sobolev put Zenit ahead in the 90th minute (+2) from the penalty spot. It came late, and it settled the match.
It was 0-0 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.
Igor Diveev of Zenit was sent off in the 85th minute. The referee, A. Frolov, showed 2 yellow cards: 2 to Fakel and 0 to Zenit.
Fakel: O. Vasilenko, 3-4-3 · Zenit: S. Semak, 4-2-3-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 2.47 for Fakel and 0.41 for Zenit.
Fakel scored about 2.5 fewer than their chances were worth: poor finishing, or a goalkeeper at his best.
Fakel created the better chances, 2.47 xG to 0.41, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Fakel had 3 shots on target, Zenit 5.
Fakel's goalkeeper made 5 saves.
Zenit had 70% of the ball and turned it into the win.
A red card changed the shape of the match, and no pre-match model can see one coming.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Fakel came into it with 12 Russian Premier League matches played, scoring 0.7 and conceding 1.7 a match, with 1.05 expected goals for and 1.62 against, and had won 8% of their matches.
Zenit came into it with 11 Russian Premier League matches played, scoring 2.3 and conceding 1.2 a match, with 1.65 expected goals for and 1.13 against, and had won 73% of their matches.
Fakel vs Zenit: the match in numbers
| Fakel | Match statistics | Zenit |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | Ball possession | 70% |
| 2.47 | Expected goals (xG) | 0.41 |
| 8 | Total shots | 21 |
| 3 | Shots on target | 5 |
| 0 | Big chances | 3 |
| 235 | Total passes | 536 |
| 68% | Pass accuracy | 83% |
| 2 | Corners | 6 |
| 19 | Fouls | 6 |
| 15 | Tackles | 10 |
| 5 | Saves | 3 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Gustavo Mantuan (Zenit), rated 7.9 by Sportmonks.
Fakel
- Nikolay Giorgobiani 7.4
- Matvey Bardachev 7.3
- Daniil Frolkin 7.2
- Albert Gabaraev 6.8
- Ilnur Alshin 6.8
Zenit
- Gustavo Mantuan 7.9
- Jhon Jhon 7.8
- Daniil Kondakov 7.8
- Aleksandr Sobolev 7.5 1 goal
- Nuraly Alip 7.4
The lowest-rated starter was Darko Todorovic at 6.2. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Fakel: Rubin Kazan vs Fakel Saturday 31 October 2026 · Russian Premier League
- Zenit: Zenit vs Dynamo Makhachkala Sunday 25 October 2026 · Russian Premier League
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Fakel vs Zenit
What was the score in Fakel vs Zenit?
Fakel 0-1 Zenit (half-time 0-0), Russian Premier League, Saturday 29 August 2026.
Who scored in Fakel vs Zenit?
Aleksandr Sobolev 90+2'.
Did Moneyball predict Fakel vs Zenit correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Fakel vs Zenit?
Gustavo Mantuan, rated 7.9 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Fakel vs Zenit?
A. Frolov.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.