The first leg of the Russian Cup 2025/26 RPL Path quarter-finals between Zenit and Dynamo Moscow will take place on November 5 at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg. Zenit vs. Dynamo Moscow: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Zenit
With a resounding victory over Orenburg (6-0), the St. Petersburg team completed the group stage without dropping a point. Zenit was the only team to achieve a perfect record. With 19 goals scored, Sergei Semak's side also became the top scorers among all participants. Recall that last season, the club reached the semi-finals of the RPL Path.
- At least three goals have been scored in 5 of Zenit's last 6 games in the Russian Cup.
- The club has a streak of 9 home wins in this tournament.
- In 11 of their last 13 home matches in the national cup, Zenit did not concede a single goal.
Predicted lineup for Zenit (4-4-2)
Evgeny Latyshonok – Vanya Drkushich, Nuraly Alip, Arsen Adamov, Yuri Gorshkov – Gerson, Alexander Erokhin, Vadim Shilov, Daniil Kondakov – Andrey Mostovoy, Alexander Sobolev.
Dynamo Moscow
The Moscow club finished second in their group. Valery Karpin's side avoided defeat in regulation time in 5 of 6 matches (3 wins, 2 draws) and finished three points ahead of their closest pursuer. Among all the second-place teams, Dynamo was the most prolific, scoring 11 goals. Additionally, in the previous two seasons, the Moscow side reached the semi-finals of the Russian Cup, once advancing to this stage through the lower bracket of the tournament.
- At least one opponent failed to score in Dynamo's last 5 national cup games.
- The team has not lost in regulation time in 6 of their last 8 away matches in this tournament (3 wins, 3 draws).
- In 5 of their last 6 away games in the Russian Cup, the club did not score more than once.
Predicted lineup for Dynamo Moscow (4-5-1)
Igor Leshchuk – Nicolas Marichal, Rubens Dias, Juan Caceres, Roberto Fernandez – Danil Glebov, Viktor Okishor, Ulvi Babaev, Daniil Fomin, Yaroslav Gladyshchev – Konstantin Tyukavin.
Referee
Egor Egorov (Russia)
Matches – 5 (Russian Cup, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 17;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.4;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 60%.
Match Prediction: Zenit vs. Dynamo Moscow
The opponents met in St. Petersburg in the league 10 days ago. The victory went to Zenit (2-1). The score could have been larger, but Kurban Rasulov had an excellent game, making 9 saves. In the upcoming match, even considering potential squad rotation, a different outcome seems unlikely.
Sergei Semak's side went through the group stage flawlessly. At home, Zenit has been outstanding in the Russian Cup, securing 9 consecutive wins. Additionally, Zenit has defeated Dynamo in 11 of their last 13 official home encounters.
Dynamo consistently beats lower-ranked opponents away in the national cup. However, they struggle against more prestigious teams. Valery Karpin's side is unlikely to exert themselves fully against a challenging opponent, especially considering their struggles in the RPL.
My prediction: Zenit to win and Total over 1.5 goals
