In a tightly contested match at the Russian Cup, Zenit St. Petersburg managed to secure a narrow 1-0 victory over Krylia Sovetov Samara. The narrow margin doesn't fully reveal the level of competitive play demonstrated by both teams during the match.

The only goal came from Zenit St. Petersburg late in the second half at 49:29 which tilted the scales in their favor. To ignore their tight defense would be unjust. Zenit St. Petersburg committed fewer fouls than Krylia Sovetov Samara, a tally of 6 against 10, indicating a more disciplined defensive performance.

The aggressive play by the home team, Krylia Sovetov Samara, however, did produce a notable amount of corner opportunities with them taking 11 corner kicks during the match, almost twice as many as Zenit St. Petersburg's 6. Unfortunately, Krylia Sovetov Samara was not able to successfully convert these chances into goals, a factor that undoubtedly impacted the result of the game. The impressive defensive stand by Zenit St. Petersburg managed to efficiently repel these attacks and keep a clean sheet.

Discipline-wise, Zenit St. Petersburg had one player booked with a yellow card at the 95th minute, while Krylia Sovetov Samara stayed discipline-free throughout the match. Even with the added pressure of being a player down, Zenit's overall discipline in defense proved too tough for the Samara team to break down.

Overall, while the match was loaded with intensive play and numerous opportunities created by Krylia Sovetov Samara, Zenit St. Petersburg’s committed and disciplined defensive strategies, combined with their effective attack that produced the solitary goal, have been key factors that sealed their victory. A word of advice for bettors: Always pay attention to a team's defensive discipline, as well as their ability to convert opportunities into goals. Solid defense often gives the edge in tightly contested matches.

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