Last-gasp Mayuka boosts Young Boys
Substitute Emmanuel Mayuka hit a stoppage-time winner as Young Boys secured a narrow 2-1 advantage to take to freezing Russia next week.
Zenit St Petersburg had looked like holding on for a draw with 10 men but Mayuka scored in the fourth additional minute.
Young Boys midfielder Mario Raimondi had spoken before the match of wanting a clean sheet and a two-goal advantage to carry through to the second leg of the Europa League last-32 tie, in which the Swiss are expecting bitterly cold conditions.
The home side had to settle for a one-goal lead, falling behind before first drawing level with the 2008 UEFA Cup winners and then pinching victory.
Nicolas Lombaerts headed Zenit ahead in the 20th minute, before Senad Lulic pounced for an equaliser in the first minute of the second half.
Vladimir Bystrov was dismissed for a second yellow-card offence, both fouls on Young Boys players, and although Zenit held on for the rest of regulation time, Mayuka had a decisive late say.
Zenit dominated the opening 20 minutes and deserved their lead. Miguel Danny had an early close-range shot blocked, Igor Denisov fired wide, Lombaerts headed over and Alexander Kerzhakov's strike drew a parried save from Marco Wolfli.
With the Russian league in its off-season, Zenit had not seen any domestic duty since November, however they were obviously sharp and their goal was well deserved, and came with a touch of genius.
Zenit took a corner on the left without Young Boys realising the ball was live, and Danko Lazovic was able to dribble towards the penalty area before playing a perfect cross for Lombaerts to head into the right corner.
Perhaps sensing some injustice, Young Boys poured forward and Moreno Costanzo and Lulic threatened.
Kerzhakov forced Wolfli to save well as Zenit looked for a second goal, before Alain Nef drew a classy stop from Viacheslav Malafeev at the other end.
Zenit's lead was wiped out just 45 seconds into the second half as Lulic lobbed home a leveller from inside the penalty area.
Then Lulic almost scored again in the 48th minute, drawing a save from Malafeev who also denied Henri Bienvenu soon afterwards.
Lulic sent a volley wide to the left of goal just after the hour mark, and Raimondi blazed over the bar.
Then Zenit had Bystrov sent off, after he fouled Bienvenu.
Raimondi, Scott Sutter and Francois Affolter peppered the Zenit goal with shots before the visitors replied with Danny showing a touch of menace.
The draw looked inevitable as stoppage time ran down, but Mayuka, on since the 83rd minute, fired into the bottom left corner following a pass from Nef to give the hosts the victory they craved.
endM
Young Boys 2-1 Zenit St Petersburg: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
