The Matchday 2 clash in the Russian Premier League between Rubin and Zenit will take place on July 27 at the Ak Bars Arena in Kazan. Rubin vs. Zenit: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Rubin
Rashid Rakhimov's team kicked off the season with an away victory against Akhmat (2-0). Interestingly, based on xG, Kazan did not even deserve a single goal. Nevertheless, the team has scored in nine consecutive league matches. However, it's worth noting that Rubin has kept a clean sheet only three times during this stretch. Moreover, the club has shown uncompromising results, securing 5 wins and suffering 3 losses in their last 8 RPL matches.
- At least three goals have been scored in 5 of Rubin's last 7 Premier League matches.
- The team has a streak of 7 consecutive home victories in this tournament.
- In 7 of their last 8 home league games, Kazan has not conceded more than one goal.
Projected lineup for Rubin (5-3-2)
Evgeniy Staver – Ilya Rozhkov, Egor Teslenko, Igor Vujacic, Alexey Gritsaenko, Dmitry Kabutov – Veldin Hodja, Ugochukwu Iwu, Bogdan Yochich – Dardan Shabanhadjai, Mirland Daku.
Midfielder Alexander Yukić is recovering from injury.
Zenit
The St. Petersburg side has not lost in the opening rounds of the championship for 22 consecutive years. In the match against Rostov, Sergei Semak's team conceded first but managed to come back to win 2-1. Notably, Zenit has won three consecutive RPL matches where they initially trailed. The team's unbeaten run in the Premier League has reached 10 matches (8 wins, 2 draws), with the club keeping a clean sheet in half of these games.
- Zenit has scored exactly 1 or 2 goals in 6 of their last 7 league matches.
- The club has not lost in 8 of their last 9 away games in this tournament (6 wins, 2 draws).
- The team has not conceded more than one goal in 8 of their last 9 away Premier League matches.
Projected lineup for Zenit (4-5-1)
Evgeniy Latyshonok – Douglas Santos, Strahinja Erakovic, Nino, Gustavo Mantuan – Gerson Santos, Wilmar Barrios, Maxim Glushenkov, Pedro Henrique, Andrey Mostovoy – Mateo Cassierra.
Defender Vyacheslav Karavaev and midfielder Sasha Zdjelar are injured. Midfielder Wendel has been included in the team's squad for the season on Thursday.
Referee
Aleksey Sukhoi (Russia)
Matches – 18 (RPL, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 90;
Average yellow cards per match – 5;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 67%.
Match Prediction: Rubin vs. Zenit
In the previous round, Kazan managed to capitalize on their few scoring opportunities. Rashid Rakhimov's side demonstrated good finishing, a characteristic that was evident last season, which Rubin concluded with an 8-match goal-scoring streak. However, questions remain about the team's defense: in RPL 2024/25, Kazan has conceded more than any other team in the top half of the table, and in Grozny, the club kept a clean sheet for only the second time in their last 7 league matches. Moreover, Rubin allowed 24 shots on their goal – the worst record in the first round.
The St. Petersburg side made their fans nervous, yet Zenit began the season with a victory. However, Sergei Semak's team allowed the opponent too much, especially in the first half. I believe Kazan, with their finishing, will also find gaps in Zenit's defense. But it's unlikely Kazan will keep a clean sheet: Zenit in RPL 2024/25 failed to score away only against Krasnodar, and they scored 8 goals in two meetings against Rubin.
My prediction: Both teams to score – Yes
