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 side began the season with an away victory over Akhmat (2-0). Interestingly, Kazan did not even reach one goal according to xG. Nevertheless, the team has scored in nine consecutive league matches. However, it is worth noting that Rubin has kept a clean sheet only three times in this stretch. Additionally, the club has shown uncompromising results, winning 5 and losing 3 of 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 home wins 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)
Yevgeny Staver – Ilya Rozhkov, Egor Teslenko, Igor Vujačić, Alexey Gritsayenko, Dmitry Kabutov – Veldin Hodža, Ugochukwu Iwu, Bogdan Yocic – Dardan Shabanhadzhai, Mirlin Daku.
Midfielder Alexander Yukich 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 recover – 2-1. Notably, Zenit has won three consecutive RPL matches in which they trailed. The team's unbeaten run in the Premier League has reached 10 matches (8 wins, 2 draws), with half of those games keeping a clean sheet.
- 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)
Yevgeny Latyshonok – Douglas Santos, Strahinja Eraković, Nino, Gustavo Mantuan – Gerson Santos, Wilmar Barrios, Maxim Glushenkov, Pedro Enrique, Andrey Mostovoy – Mateo Cassierra.
Defender Vyacheslav Karavaev and midfielder Sasha Zdjelar are injured. Forward Luiz Henrique will also miss the match. Midfielder Wendel was included in the team's squad for the season on Thursday.
Referee
Aleksei 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%.
Rubin vs. Zenit: Match Prediction
In the last round, Kazan made the most of their few scoring opportunities. Good execution was characteristic of Rashid Rakhimov's side last season, which Rubin ended with an 8-match scoring streak. However, there are questions about the team's defense: in RPL-2024/25, Kazan has conceded more goals 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. Meanwhile, Rubin allowed 24 shots on their goal – the worst figure in the first round.
St. Petersburg made their fans nervous, but Zenit started the season with a victory. However, Sergei Semak's side allowed many chances to the opponent, especially in the first half. I think Kazan, with their execution, will also find gaps in St. Petersburg's defense. But Kazan is unlikely to keep their goal intact: in RPL-2024/25, Zenit failed to score away only against Krasnodar, and they scored 8 goals against Rubin in two matches.
My prediction: Both teams to score – yes
