Zenit vs. Dynamo | HIGHLIGHTS | SemiFinals (1st Game) | SuperLeague 2025-2026

From the very start of the match, Zenit players started to stamp out blocks, as a result of which, with the score 8:4 in favor of the hosts, Konstantin Bryansky had to take the first break. By this point, Maxim Kosmin had 2 blocks, and Dikarev had 1. In general, the advantage of the blue-and-white-blue team at the end of the first game segment in this element was 7:1, which predetermined the outcome. Looking ahead, the hosts had a 19-9 advantage on the block, with Vitaly Dikarev scoring 9 points. After the break, the guests tied the score with 4 consecutive points (8-8), but they could not handle another surge from Vladimir Alekno's team. Igor Kobzar's serve gave Zenit a +5 advantage, and they won the set 25-17. At the end of the set, the hosts had 75% of positive reception (the Dynamo players had 33%).

In the second set, the guests took a break advantage, which they maintained until the score was 9:10. Then, on Anton Semyshev's serve, they made a breakthrough (9:10 - 9:13). In the second set, the hosts had to attack on high balls, which the team of Konstantin Bryansky skillfully used. After two consecutive mistakes by Maxim Sapozhkov, the guest coach took advantage of the break (14:15). After that, the guests began to block Zenit's attacks and receive set points. As a result of several consecutive unsuccessful attacks, Vladimir Alekno took a break, but the game could not be saved. The score was 25:19 in favor of the guests, and the game ended in a draw. The Moscow team had a positive reception rate of 76% (compared to Zenit's 42%) and an attack rate of 62% (compared to the hosts' 37%).

The third set began with Vladislav Babkevich's serves, which allowed the blue-and-white-blue team to take the lead after a brief exchange of shots (3:3 - 7:3). During this set, Zenit's setter, Igor Kobzar, did not frequently pass to his centers (1 pass), while Dmitry Zhuk and Ilya Vlasov received 7 passes from Pavel Pankov, of which they scored 5. In the second half of the game, the guests were more successful, and Dynamo managed to take a lead at the end of the set (21:21 - 21:23), after which Konstantin Bryansky's team gained two set points and led 2:1 in the match.

In the fourth game, the home team's advantage (+4) disappeared on Maxim Sapozhkov's serve. Several consecutive mistakes in the attack - and Vladimir Alekno remained without breaks (14:15). The hosts could have ended the set with three set points without a valid ending, but Dynamo equalized the score (24:24), and only on balance did the blue-white-blues manage to put the squeeze on the opponent and turn the game into a tie-break – 28:26.

After the score was 4:4 in the fifth set, Maxim Sapozhkov hit two consecutive aces, forcing Zenit's coach to take the first timeout at 4:6. As a result, Dynamo's диагональный стал самым результативным игроком гостей (20 points), but the duel between the two diagonals was won by Zenit's Vladislav Babkevich, who scored 33 points and achieved a 52% attack rate. In the final set, the guests had three match points, two of which Zenit managed to recover, but they were unable to do more. 15:13 in favor of the capital's volleyball players, and 3:2 in the match in favor of Dynamo. The second match of the semi-final series will take place a day later, on April 2, at the Arena CSC, starting at 19:30.

VFV - volley.ru