Zaur Hapov: sports biography

Zaur Hapov - one of the best goalkeepers of the Russian football championship of the 90s, achieved the greatest successes in the Vladikavkaz "Alania". He was also involved in the national team of Russia, but due to the great competition in this position, a large number of matches could not be held.

Coming from Kabardian football

Zaur Khapov was born in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, in 1964. At first I tried myself on the spot of the midfielder and gravitated towards the attack. However, everything settled the case. When the school did not have goalkeepers, Zaur took a place in the gate and from the first classes began to show remarkable abilities.

His first coach was Vladimir Belyaev, who played for the Moscow "Dynamo" and the USSR national team. True, to achieve great success in the mentor did not work, his sports career was behind the legendary Lev Yashin.

In 1982, Hapov went to serve in the army, so he began to speak for the Rostov SKA. Returning to the "citizen", entrenched in the Nalchik "Spartak", after two seasons, 86 games. The team at that time played in the second league of the Allied championship.

Up career began in 1987. Zaur Zalimbievich Hapov received an invitation to the Moscow "Spartacus" from his mentor - Konstantin Beskov. However, due to strong competition, it was not possible to gain a foothold in the composition. Hapov played only 3 matches in the Federation Cup, and in official matches he never left the bench. Federation Cup "Spartacus" then won, and he became the only trophy of Hapov in the "red-white".

Therefore, in 1988, the football player was loaned to Yaroslavl "Shinnik".

In the first league in the new team Zaur Khapov immediately became the main goalkeeper. I played 30 matches on the field, in which I missed 36 goals. At the end of the season, the team took 11th place.

The next point in the career of Khapov was the Tbilisi "Dynamo". After the Georgian teams left the union championship in 1990, Zaur Khapov became the champion of Georgia as part of his new team.

Return to Russia

In 1991, Hapes decides to move to a stronger, Russian championship. Becomes a guard of the gates of the Vladikavkaz "Spartak". In the debut season for this season in the Major League, he defended all matches with almost no substitutions.

At the preliminary stage, the Ossetians occupy the third place in Group A, losing only 1 point to the capital Dynamo and Lokomotiv, and continue to fight for medals. In the playoffs, "Spartacus" wins 7 games out of 14, this is enough to win silver medals. Champions are the Moscow "Spartak", their advantage was 7 points, despite the fact that in that season only 2 points were awarded for the victory.

Debut in the Eurocups

In 1993, Zaur Hapov together with Vladikavkaz "Spartak" debuted in Eurocups. In the first round of the UEFA Cup, Dortmund "Borussia" gets them in the rivals. In the first match in Germany, the judges fix a zero draw, and in the return meeting the Germans win with a minimum score - 1: 0.

The next time the UEFA Cup is only in 1995. But this time ends the performance in the first round. Opponent again formidable - English "Liverpool". "Spartacus" loses at home 1: 2, and attends only a goalless draw.

Golden Season

In 1995, already under the name "Spartak-Alania" Khapov's team begins with a confident victory over Kamyshin's "Tekstilschik" - 2: 0. In that season the team is famous for the most reliable defense, which is confirmed by statistics. In 30 matches, the Vladikavkaz go only 21 goals, this is the best figure of that year. In the list of 33 best players, Hap took second place among the goalkeepers, losing only to "railroad" Sergei Ovchinnikov.

"Spartak-Alania" that year was good on all fronts. The team won 22 games out of 30, gaining 71 points, confidently won gold medals. Moscow "Lokomotiv" behind by 6 points, the capital's "Spartacus" became only the third.

The following year, Hapov together with the team, which was already called "Alania" appeared in the Champions League. In the qualifying round, the Vladikavkaz players first lost to the Scottish "Glasgow Rangers" 1: 3. The return meeting ended with a crushing defeat 2: 7.

In Vladikavkaz until 1999, Zaur Zalimbievich played, his biography in sports is largely connected with this city. For "Alania" he spent 233 games, in which he missed 278 goals.

Life after "Alanya"

In 2000, Hapov moved to the Moscow "Locomotive", but there he became the understudy of the young and ambitious Ruslan Nigmatullin and experienced Sergei Ovchinnikov. As a result, for 6 seasons Zaur spent only 5 matches. Completed his career in 2005 at the age of 41 years. In the top league 65 games stood up to zero. This is the 11th indicator in the Russian championship. In 1994 he was recognized as the best goalkeeper in Russia, according to the edition of Sport-Express.

During this time at the club level he played almost 400 official matches. In the prime of his career he was involved in the national team. Participated in two friendly matches in 1994 on the eve of the World Cup in the States. Against the US team (1: 1) and Mexico (4: 1). Place number 1 in the gate of the team then defended Dmitry Kharin, who defended the gates at mundiale. The team was no longer invited Zaur Zalimbievich Hapov, football for him remained only at the club level.

Coach career

In 2006, Hapov moved to work as a goalkeeper coach in Moscow's Lokomotiv, and the next season he moved to the same Premier League team - Perm's Amkar. Having worked for a short time in Makhachkala's Anji, Hapov concentrated on goalkeepers precisely at the headquarters of the "railroad workers", where he works to the present, despite the changes in the main mentors.

Hapov is a happy family man. Zaur Zalimbiyevich, whose biography and family have always been closely associated with his career, is successfully married. He has two children - a son named Arthur and daughter Laura.