Zaur Hapov - one of the best goalkeepers of the Russian football championship of the 90s, achieved the greatest success in the Vladikavkaz “Alania”. He was also involved in the national team of Russia, but because of the great competition in this position, it was not possible to hold a large number of matches.
Native of Kabardian football
Zaur Hapov was born in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, in 1964. At first I tried myself in the midfield position and gravitated to attack. However, everything was decided by chance. When the school did not have goalkeepers, Zaur took a place at the gate and from the first classes began to show remarkable abilities.
His first coach was Vladimir Belyaev, who played for Dynamo Moscow and the USSR national team. True, the mentor did not succeed, his sports career passed 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”, having spent 86 matches in two seasons. The team at that time played in the second league of the union championship.
Up the career went in 1987. Zaur Zalimbievich Hapov received an invitation to Moscow “Spartak” from the 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 did not leave the bench. The Spartak Federation Cup then won, and it became the only trophy of Khapov in the “red and white”.
Therefore, in 1988, the football player was leased to the Yaroslavl “Shinnik”.
In the first league in the new team, Zaur Hapov immediately became the main goalkeeper. Spent 30 matches on the field, in which he missed 36 goals. At the end of the season, the team took 11th place.
The next point in the career of Hapov was the Tbilisi Dynamo. After the Georgian teams left the allied championship in 1990, Zaur Hapov became the champion of Georgia as part of his new team.
Return to Russia
In 1991, Hapov decided to move to a stronger, Russian championship. Becomes the guard of the gates of Vladikavkaz “Spartak”. In the debut season for this team in the Premier League, he defended all matches with virtually no replacements.
At the preliminary stage, Ossetians occupy the third place in Group A, losing only 1 point to the metropolitan Dynamo and Lokomotiv, and continue to fight for medals. In the playoffs, “Spartak” wins 7 matches out of 14, this is enough to win silver medals. Champions become Moscow “Spartak”, their advantage was 7 points, despite the fact that in that season, only 2 points were awarded for the victory.
European Cup debut
In 1993, Zaur Hapov, together with the Vladikavkaz “Spartak” will make its debut in Eurocups. In the first round of the UEFA Cup, they get the Dortmund Borussia as rivals. In the first match in Germany, the referees record a goalless draw, and in the second leg the Germans win with a minimum score of 1: 0.
The next time the team enters the UEFA Cup 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 away only achieves a goalless draw.
Golden season
In 1995, already under the name “Spartak-Alania”, the Hapov team began with a confident victory over the Kamyshin “Tekstilshchik” - 2-0. That season, the team is famous for its most reliable defense, which is confirmed by statistics. In 30 matches Vladikavkaz missed only 21 goals, this is the best indicator of that year. In the list of 33 best football players, Khapov took second place among goalkeepers, losing only to “railroad”
Sergey Ovchinnikov.Spartak Alania that year was good on all fronts. The team won 22 matches out of 30, gaining 71 points, confidently won gold medals. Moscow “Lokomotiv” was behind by 6 points, the capital “Spartak” was only the third.
The following year, Hapov, together with a team that was already called “Alania”, played in the Champions League. In the qualifying round, the Vladikavkaz team first lost to the Scottish Glasgow Rangers 1: 3 away. The return meeting ended with a crushing defeat of 2: 7.
Until 1999, Zaur Zalimbievich played in Vladikavkaz, his biography in sports is largely connected with this city. For “Alania” he spent 233 matches, in which he missed 278 goals.
Life after Alania
In 2000, Hapov moved to Moscow Lokomotiv, 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. He ended his career in 2005 at the age of 41. In the major league, 65 matches defended 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 Sport-Express.
During this time, he played almost 400 official matches at the club level. At the height of his career, he was involved in the national team. He participated in two friendlies in 1994 on the eve of the World Cup in the States. Against the US team (1: 1) and Mexico (4: 1). Place No. 1 at the gates of the national team was then defended by Dmitry Kharin, who defended the gates on the world championship. Zaur Zalimbievich Hapov was no longer invited to the team, football for him remained only at the club level.
Coaching career
In 2006, Hapov went on to work as a goalkeeper coach in Moscow Lokomotiv, and the next season he moved to the same position in another Premier League team - Perm Amkar. After working for a short time also in the Makhachkala “Anji”, Hapov concentrated on the goalkeepers precisely at the headquarters of the “railroad”, where he has been working until now, despite the changes of the main mentors.
Hapov is a happy family man. Zaur Zalimbievich, whose biography and family has always been closely associated with his career, is successfully married. He has two children - a son named Arthur and daughter Laura.