Zenit St. Petersburg’s 1-1 draw with Rubin Kazan is a “fine” result and the Russian Premier League leaders only conceded because of bad luck, Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti said Sunday.
Zenit missed the opportunity to stretch their lead over second-placed CSKA Moscow to six points when Nelson Haedo Valdes reacted faster than the Zenit defense to equalize from a high ball.
Asked about the result, Spalletti said: "We weren't lucky when we conceded, so I think it's ok."
"Rubin's a difficult team to play."
He added that the structure of the Russian Premier League, with the top eight teams split off into a championship group for the end of the season, meant that Zenit could not expect to win every game.
"The level was very high. It's completely fine."
Rubin coach Kurban Berdyev said that he was not happy with conceding when Zenit surprised his team with a quickly-taken free-kick.
"We conceded a goal we didn't have to concede,” he said.
The worn pitch at the Petrovsky Stadium played a part in Rubin’s slow start to the game, he said.
“On pitches like this, you have to spend a lot of time adapting to the surface."
