NORDRAGOTA, Faroe Islands (Interstat) — Felipe Augusto scored twice, including the decisive 83rd-minute goal, as Zenit (Rus) held off home side FK Baltika Kaliningrad 3-2 on Thursday at Sarpugerði. Zenit (Rus) moved to 2 wins, 0 losses in this competition and remained perfect across all competitions at 6 wins, 0 losses. FK Baltika Kaliningrad fell to 1 win, 1 loss in this competition and 1 win, 1 loss and 3 draws across all competitions.

Zenit (Rus) opened with control and took the lead in the 30th minute when Daniil Kondakov scored. The goal capped a first half in which Zenit (Rus) probed patiently and kept Baltika from finding rhythm in the final third. FK Baltika Kaliningrad’s Gassama N. received a yellow card in the 24th minute, one of four cautions in a match that grew more physical as the lead changed hands and the stakes rose. The match produced five goals and four yellow cards. Zenit (Rus) carried its 1-0 advantage into halftime.

After the break, Zenit (Rus) doubled its lead in the 69th minute through Felipe Augusto. The striker’s first goal gave the visitors breathing room and forced FK Baltika Kaliningrad to push numbers forward. The home side responded in the 73rd minute when Ilya Kirsch scored, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and restoring tension in the final stages. Volkov S. of Zenit (Rus) was booked in the 60th minute, and Kovac S. of FK Baltika Kaliningrad followed in the 65th minute as both teams battled for control in midfield.

Felipe Augusto struck again in the 83rd minute, restoring Zenit’s two-goal cushion and proving to be the decisive moment. His second goal of the afternoon made it 3-1 and left FK Baltika Kaliningrad needing a rapid response. The home side kept pressing and was rewarded in stoppage time when Ilya Porokhov scored in the 90th minute plus two, cutting the final margin to 3-2. Adamov D. of Zenit (Rus) was shown a yellow card in the 90th minute. Zenit (Rus) then managed the remaining moments to secure the win.

Felipe Augusto was Zenit’s top star with two goals. Ilya Kirsch scored for FK Baltika Kaliningrad. Daniil Kondakov added a goal for Zenit. Ilya Porokhov scored late off the bench for FK Baltika. Roman Vega recorded an assist for Zenit, and Fahd Moufi recorded an assist for FK Baltika. Both sides made use of substitutions as the second half unfolded. FK Baltika Kaliningrad introduced Varatynov S. at halftime, then brought on Gassama N., Mourid A. and Offor C. in the 62nd minute. Zenit (Rus) introduced Alip N. at halftime, Volkov S. and Karavaev V. in the 66th minute, Jhon Jhon in the 78th minute and Kondakov D. in the 89th minute. Moufi F. was substituted in the 82nd minute.

The result continued Zenit’s strong run across competitions. Zenit (Rus) has recent wins over Dynamo Makhachkala twice, Akhmat Grozny and Krasnodar, along with a victory over BATE, and now adds another win in this competition. Entering the match, FK Baltika Kaliningrad had gone four matches across all competitions without a loss, a stretch that included draws with Krasnodar and FK Rostov, a win at Krylya Sovetov and a draw at Akhmat Grozny. FK Baltika Kaliningrad next hosts Akron Togliatti in Premier League play.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of FK Baltika Kaliningrad 1, Zenit (Rus) 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected FK Baltika Kaliningrad with a 62.4 percent probability to win. Zenit (Rus) had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 5 went under the over/under line of 2.5.