The Matchday 3 clash in the FONBET Russian Cup 2025/26 between Orenburg and Zenit will take place on August 26 at the Gazovik Stadium. Orenburg vs. Zenit: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Orenburg
Under Vladimir Slishkovich, after losing to Rubin at the start of the tournament, Orenburg defeated Akhmat (2-1) in the last round. This victory was only their second in the last nine Russian Cup matches (7 losses). The three points lifted Orenburg to third place in Group A. It's worth noting that the team has conceded in 8 of their last 9 Russian Cup matches.
- Orenburg has scored in 11 of their last 13 Russian Cup games.
- At home, Orenburg has not drawn in six consecutive matches in this tournament (3 wins, 3 draws).
- The team has not conceded more than one goal in 6 of their last 8 home matches in the Russian Cup.
Predicted lineup for Orenburg (3-5-2)
Andrey Khodanovich – Alexey Tataev, Maxim Syshchenko, Nikolay Koserik – Georgy Zotov, Alexey Baranovsky, Vladislav Kamilov, Stanislav Poroykov, Atsamaz Revazov – Gedeon Guzina, Jordi Thompson.
Zenit
Sergei Semak's side has secured two victories in this tournament. After the away match against Akhmat, Zenit triumphed over Rubin at home (3-0). Notably, Zenit is the only team in the group stage to have won both matches in regular time. The team leads Group A, also boasting the best goal-scoring record (5). Additionally, Zenit has won 10 of their last 11 Russian Cup matches (1 loss).
- At least one opponent failed to score in 5 of Zenit's last 6 Russian Cup matches.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 5 of Zenit's last 7 away matches in this tournament.
- The team opened the scoring in 6 of their last 7 away Russian Cup games.
Predicted lineup for Zenit (4-4-2)
Denis Adamov – Arsen Adamov, Nuraly Alip, Roman Vega, Strahinja Erakovic – Andrey Mostovoy, Yuri Gorshkov, Yaroslav Mikhailov, Maxim Glushenkov – Luciano Gondou, Mateo Cassierra.
Referee
Sergey Tsyganok (Russia)
Matches – 10 (Russian Cup, 2023/24 - 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 38;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.8;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 33%.
Orenburg vs. Zenit: Match Prediction
While Zenit may not be performing at their best in the RPL, they are showing excellent results in the Russian Cup under Sergei Semak. Zenit has collected maximum points and boasts the best scoring record among all group stage participants. In the upcoming game, we are likely to see a rotated lineup from Zenit, but this should not prevent them from defeating a familiar opponent. Zenit has won 10 of their last 12 encounters with Orenburg in the Premier League (1 draw, 1 loss).
Vladimir Slishkovich is also expected to give playing time to the reserves. However, Orenburg's bench quality is significantly lower than Zenit's. Even the main squad can spring unpleasant surprises on their fans. In the last RPL round, the club conceded twice despite having a numerical advantage. Orenburg also struggles defensively in the Russian Cup, conceding in 8 of their last 9 matches, with at least two goals in 5 of those games. Containing one of the tournament's best attacks will be very challenging.
Considering these facts, my prediction: Zenit to win and Total over 1.5 goals
