«The stadium was shaking» — the dramatic victory of Zenit over Akhmat exhausted the fans and caused a blockage on Krestovsky Island. On Sunday, October 18, 2026, around 4:30 PM, there was significant activity near the Krestovsky Island metro station and on the Yachtenny Bridge. Thousands of city residents, sporting blue-and-white-blue scarves, were intensely discussing the results of the 11th round of the Russian Premier League match. At the Gazprom Arena, St. Petersburg’s Zenit clinched a victory over Grozny’s Akhmat with a score of 3–2 in a nail-biting match. The game began at 2:00 PM and immediately deviated from the home team’s script: at the 25th minute, Lechi Sadulaev opened the scoring, putting Akhmat ahead. During halftime, fans appeared confused, and due to the surge of spectators, huge lines formed in the concourses near the Dodo Pizza and Burger King food stalls. Eyewitnesses confirmed that mobile connectivity and internet service on the sectors were intermittent due to network overload.
After the final whistle, crowds of people completely filled the pedestrian areas of Krestovsky Island. Passersby turned to watch the jubilant fans, motorists on Southern Road actively honked in solidarity, and spectators headed toward the metro, sharing water and discussing the officiating. Due to the influx of passengers at the entrances to the «Zenit» and «Krestovsky Island» stations, temporary congestion formed. «I thought my heart was going to stop in the 86th minute when they equalized. I was so scared we would lose points at home. But the conclusion in the 90th minute—that was something else! Our entire section was jumping so hard it felt like the stadium was shaking,» shared Marvin, a student from one of St. Petersburg’s universities. Anna, who attended the match with her performance, also noted the high emotional intensity: «We go to football games often, but this kind of incredible show is the first in a long time. Now I definitely won’t be able to sleep at night from the excess of emotion.»
