Rostov Nearly Gifted the Title to Krasnodar, But VAR Intervened

In the penultimate round of the Russian Premier League, Zenit faced Rostov — a match that could have determined the title race. If Zenit had lost, Krasnodar would have been crowned champions early. Even a draw would have significantly improved Krasnodar's chances ahead of the final round.

The match ended with a 1–0 win for Zenit, but in the dying moments Rostov came close to equalizing. Maksim Osipenko scored a goal that was later disallowed after a VAR review due to a marginal offside.

Ahead of the final round, Krasnodar leads Zenit by one point. However, they face a tough challenge against Dynamo Moscow, while Zenit will play against Akhmat Grozny.

Khoren Bayramyan started for Rostov wearing the captain’s armband. The Armenian national team midfielder played 76 minutes and received a SofaScore rating of 6.4.