Dynamo Moscow invited Wednesday’s Russian Cup final defeat by standing off Rubin Kazan's most dangerous players around the penalty area, coach Sergei Silkin said.
Rubin won their first Russian Cup courtesy of a 78th-minute long-range strike from Roman Yeryomenko, who was under no pressure when he lined up his shot.
"It was a really tense fight until the first mistake, you could say," Silkin said. "We started to let our opponents hit long shots, although we said at the start how important it was to close this zone down."
Dynamo were at full strength, with attacking midfielders Igor Semshov and Andriy Voronin recalled to the starting lineup after reported feuds with Silkin.
But they were dysfunctional in attack and sat back in defense.
Bibras Natkho had already rattled the crossbar from 35 yards, and Yeryomenko himself had tested Shunin, with neither under huge pressure from Dynamo defenders.
It was Rubin's first Russian Cup win after they were runners-up to CSKA Moscow in 2009, losing 1-0 to a Evgeny Aldonin strike in injury time.
Rubin coach Kurban Berdyev was thankful after the game.
"It was only the cup that was missing from our collection of all the silverware of Russia, and praise Allah, today it happened," he said.
Rubin won the Russian Premier League title in 2008 and 2009, finishing third in 2010.
"I thank the guys for the effort they put in today."
The victory hands Rubin a place in the Europa League playoffs after a disappointing league season, as the team lingers in seventh with one match remaining.
Dynamo have a place in the Europa League guaranteed, unless they defeat FC Kuban on Sunday and results elsewhere conspire to lift them to second and snatch CSKA Moscow's Champions League spot.
The result deprives sixth-placed Lokomotiv Moscow of European football next season.
