Zenit St. Petersburg v Rostov Betting Tip

These two sides were vying with CSKA Moscow for the title last season and would have had similar ambitions this season had Berdyev not left Rostov.

Zenit were expected to blitzkrieg their way through the two opening games against Lokomotiv Moscow and Ufa but could only manage 0-0 draws. Particularly disappointing when you look at the attacking talent that Mirceu Lucescu has at his disposal. This game is now a must win for the St. Petersburg side, otherwise they may find themselves starting to be cut adrift with just three games gone.

Kurban Berdyev’s departure and all the chaos that has surrounded it has left Rostov in the lurch. Their good start to the season both domestically and on the continent is now in jeopardy. They only managed a 0-0 draw at home to Ural in their first match with Berdyev, and many are saying that they would have won that match under their former boss.

My prediction here goes somewhat against the grain of recent matches. Rostov are not one for scoring tons of goals whilst Zenit are yet to find the back of the net this season. However, I have a suspicion both teams will score here which you can get at 2.26.

As previously mentioned Zenit know they have to win this match and so I expect a lot of attacking football. A Rostov defence without the guidance of Berdyev is questionable and I am not sure they will be able to handle the Zenit attacks. This of course leaves the home side’s vulnerable defence open to the counter which I am sure Rostov will exploit at some stage.

See more tips here.