Zenit 1-0 BATE: 18-year-old Shatalov seals friendly win in St Petersburg (full match highlights)

Zenit St Petersburg secured a narrow 1-0 victory over BATE Borisov in a friendly match at the Smena Stadium. The game, played on 4 October 2026 in front of 2,674 spectators, formed part of Sergei Semak's preparations for the resumption of the Russian Premier League. The first half ended goalless despite Zenit's complete dominance, with BATE goalkeeper Arseniy Skopets producing a string of fine saves, including a stunning stop to deny Luis Henrique's header onto the post just before the break. The match turned in the 73rd minute when BATE's Nikita Neskoromny was sent off for a second yellow card. Two minutes later, 18-year-old academy graduate Ivan Shatalov came off the bench, and within another two minutes he scored the winner with a long-range strike. The atmosphere at the compact Smena Stadium was lively, with a near-capacity crowd cheering on Zenit's young squad. Zenit head coach Sergei Semak said after the match that he was pleased with the commitment of his young players and intends to give them more opportunities in similar fixtures. Zenit sit fifth in the RPL after nine matches with 18 points, and face league leaders Krasnodar on 10 October in a crucial top-of-the-table clash. BATE, meanwhile, remain 14th in the Belarusian Premier League, just above the relegation playoff zone, and will be hoping to climb the table in their next fixture. Can Zenit build on this result ahead of their crucial clash with Krasnodar, and can Shatalov force his way into the first team?

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