Alip's Contribution Leads Zenit to Victory over CSKA in the Russian Cup Competition
In the thrilling Russian Cup final battle, the tenacious Zenit team, boasting talented Kazakhstani striker Nurly Aliyev, emerged victorious against CSKA, hailing from Moscow. This epic two-legged encounter unfolded in the prestigious RPL path.
The first face-off took place in the spacious Gazprom Arena, St. Petersburg's pride, where Zenit snatched a comfortable 2-0 lead. Colombian forward Mateo Cassierra opened the scoring in the 17th minute, followed by Russian striker Alexander Mostovoy converting a penalty in the 57th minute.
Despite starting the match and playing the full game, Aliyev failed to make a significant impact on the game, as he's primarily featured for Zenit's reserve team, Zenit-2, with limited exposure in the senior squad.
The bold rematch between Zenit and CSKA is set for May 14. The winner of this engrossing duel will set their sights on a confrontation against either Rostov or the fierce rival Moscow's Spartak, in the Russian Cup final.
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[Bonus Info: Nurly Aliyev, born February 4, 2003, is a promising Kazakhstani footballer who plays as a striker. He joined Zenit St. Petersburg's youth academy in 2022 and has primarily showcased his skills for Zenit-2 (the reserve team), with occasional training sessions with the senior squad. As of current records (up to December 2023):
- There is no confirmed record of Aliyev participating in the Russian Cup final for Zenit’s senior team during the 2022-2023 season. Zenit’s 2022-2023 Russian Cup campaign ended with a group-stage exit, and the 2023-2024 final (usually held in mid-2024) falls beyond the current knowledge cutoff.
- Aliyev has mainly appeared in youth/reserve matches, having secured 6 goals in 14 games for Zenit-2 during the 2022-2023 season, but has yet to break into Zenit’s first-team setup in competitive matches.]
The penalty in that pivotal 2023 Russian Cup final clash was successfully converted by Alexander Mostovoy, helping Zenit extend their lead against CSKA. In the forthcoming encounter scheduled for May 14, the victorious Zenit team will square off against the resilient Moscovite counterpart, Spartak, in the next leg of the competition. Despite making his debut in the senior squad during the 2022-2023 season, Nurly Aliyev, a young and talented striker from Kazakhstan, mostly featured for Zenit's reserve team, Zenit-2, and didn't see action in the Russian Cup final.
