Zenit Beat Shanghai Shenhua on Penalties in China
Zenit won 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw in Shanghai, their first match in China since 1955, following a new cooperation deal between the clubs.
Zenit beat Shanghai Shenhua on penalties, 4-3, in Shanghai after 90 goalless minutes, the club's first match in China since 1955.
The friendly followed a cooperation agreement signed by the two clubs on Saturday. It covers friendlies between the first teams, joint work on youth development, invitations to each other's international youth tournaments and annual exchange programmes for young players and coaches.
Zenit's last visit to China came 71 years ago, when the St Petersburg side became the first Soviet club to tour the country, playing 11 matches. The opening game of that tour, against the Central Institute of Physical Culture, finished 2:2 and was watched by Chairman Mao Zedong.
The idea for this fixture had political backing. Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin raised it with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang at a meeting in early November 2025, and Chinese president Xi Jinping later endorsed the match in talks with Mishustin.
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