Metallurg Lipetsk Overcome Zenit Penza in Five-Goal Thriller

In what turned out to be the most entertaining match of the Russian Third Division B round, Metallurg Lipetsk snatched a 3-2 victory over Zenit Penza at the Penza Stadium on June 13, 2026. The visitors showed tremendous character to come from behind and claim the points.

Zenit Penza raced into a 2-0 lead inside the first 25 minutes, with two swift counter-attacks leaving the Lipetsk defence exposed. However, Metallurg Lipetsk responded before half-time, pulling one back through a penalty converted by captain Dmitry Volkov. The second half saw a complete turnaround as the visitors equalised in the 63rd minute via a neat finish from Sergei Ivanov.

The winner came twelve minutes from time when a deflected shot from Alexei Petrov found the net, sending the travelling supporters into ecstasy. Zenit Penza pushed hard in the final moments but could not find a second equaliser, leaving them to rue their early dominance.

The result moves Metallurg Lipetsk up to fifth in the RUS D3B table, while Zenit Penza drop to ninth. This match highlighted the attacking potential of both sides, though defensive lapses remain a concern. The three points are a massive boost for Lipetsk as they target a top-four finish.